New Delhi: Putting an end to days of intense political speculation in Maharashtra, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule on Thursday categorically ruled out any ongoing merger talks between the two NCP factions, declaring that the chapter was closed for her the day her brother, late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, passed away.
Addressing the media, Sule dismissed swirling rumours of a reunion between the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and the ruling NCP faction headed by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.
“No proposal regarding merger has been received by us,” Sule stated unequivocally.
In an emotional remark, she added, “My brother is gone, and on that very day, the subject of the merger ended for me. I have not received any proposal, so I have no information about what merger is being discussed. No one has spoken to me about this.”
Addressing the references to past talks, Sule acknowledged that Ajit Pawar had indeed initiated a dialogue to reunite the two factions prior to his passing, noting that a January 17, 2026 video of their discussion at Govindbaug in Baramati was already in the public domain and hidden from no one. However, she maintained that her brother’s demise altered everything and brought that process to a permanent halt.
Downplaying the significance of recent visits to Sharad Pawar by leaders from the rival camp, Sule pointed out that politicians across party lines routinely meet the veteran leader.
“Even after the split, several MLAs, ministers, and leaders have continued to visit Pawar Saheb. There is nothing new or unusual about such courtesy calls,” she said.
When asked about recent meetings between certain NCP leaders and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Sule refused to be drawn into the matter, calling it an internal affair of the other party. “Who meets whom and for what reason is their personal and internal matter. I will not comment on it,” she asserted.
With Sule drawing a firm line under the issue, the NCP (SP) leadership has signalled that there is no political reconciliation on the table, effectively bringing a formal halt to the merger narrative for now.
Sule’s remark comes when the rumour mill in Maharashtra’s political circles had gone into overdrive over the past week following a series of high-profile developments and cryptic statements.
NCP Maharashtra president Sunil Tatkare recently stated that merger talks were actively underway while Ajit Pawar was alive and would have materialised in February had it not been for his untimely demise in a plane crash.
During Sharad Pawar’s recent hospitalisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned to inquire about his health, followed two days later by a visit from senior NCP leader Praful Patel. Subsequently, MP Parth Pawar visited Sharad Pawar’s Mumbai residence, ‘Silver Oak’, on two consecutive days, fueling talk of backchannel negotiations.
When pressed by reporters on the likelihood of reunification, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Wednesday in Pune avoided a direct denial, remarking, “As time comes, you will all come to know about everything”—a statement that further stoked political conjecture.
(IANS)
