Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar refutes speculation over NCP factions merger

When asked if he would consider being part of NDA if both factions of NCP merge, Sharad Pawar told reporters, "This is all going on your side (media), there is nothing like that here."

Member of Vidya Prathisthan and close associate of the Pawar family, Kiran Gujar, earlier said that NCP chief Ajit Pawar's last wish was to unite the two party factions.

NCP and NCP (SCP) contested the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections in an alliance, and there were talks of an alliance for the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls. Amidst this, there were speculations that the two factions would come together under one symbol before Ajit Pawar passed away in a plane crash in Baramati.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Sharad Pawar said that he has no information about NCP MP Sunetra Pawar's name being pitched for the post of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister.

He said, "I have no information about it (Sunetra Pawar's name for the Deputy CM post). Her party must have decided. What I saw in the newspaper today: some names like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatakare who have taken the initiative to make some decisions."

Ajit Pawar, 66, died in a plane crash along with four others on Wednesday, after which his wife Sunetra Pawar is speculated to take up the vacant Deputy CM post. Maharashtra Minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said that the party has pitched Sunetra Pawar's name and asked CM Devendra Fadnavis if the swearing-in ceremony can take place today.

When asked about the haste to make political decisions immediately after Ajit Pawar's death, Sharad Pawar hinted that the decisions were being made by leaders in the Mahayuti government in Mumbai.

"If there is a problem in the family, the family stands together. There are no issues in the family... All these discussions are not taking place here; they are happening in Mumbai. Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and other senior leaders are having these discussions. Whatever is being seen appears to be decisions taken by them. I will not comment on this," he said.

Earlier today, NCP spokesperson Rupali Patil Thombare said that Sunetra Pawar is set to take oath as the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday.

Speaking to ANI, Rupali Patil Thombare said party leaders had urged Sunetra Pawar to decide on the Deputy CM post and emphasised the importance of timing in politics.

Thombare said, "Ajit dada's death was very shocking. He is not with us anymore. Sunetra Vahini (Sunetra Pawar) is grieving much more than all of us. She lost her husband all of a sudden. This is the fourth day since his death. We, the workers, have urged Vahini to forget her pain and adopt Ajit Dada's dreams and work style. For this, she has made a decision for today; she had to."

"Timing is very important in politics. People will talk. Those who are speaking for him today used to comment on him when he was alive. Vahini is going to take oath as the Deputy CM today," the NCP Spokesperson said. (ANI)