- BJP has set a clear condition for Sharad Pawar's NCP faction to join the NDA.
- Both rival NCP factions must first reunite.
- This comes amidst intense political speculation and recent high-profile meetings in Maharashtra.
Digital Desk, New Delhi: Maharashtra politics has taken a dramatic turn amid speculation that Sharad Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) could join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). As the political buzz grows, reports suggest that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has drawn up a clear strategy for any such move.
According to Jagran.com, citing senior BJP leaders, Sharad Pawar's NCP faction can officially become part of the NDA only if the two rival factions of the NCP reunite and merge into a single party.
What is the BJP's BIG plan?
The BJP's primary condition is the reunification of the NCP. According to reports, the party believes that a closer alliance with the NCP can only be considered after both factions resolve their differences and reunite.
Reports further suggest that the BJP has no particular interest in bringing only Sharad Pawar or his close associates into the alliance.
Meanwhile, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, which is part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra alongside the BJP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, has also voiced its expectations. On Friday, party leaders said their workers want Rajya Sabha MP Parth Pawar, who took oath in April, to be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers during the next cabinet expansion.
ALSO READ: Will Sharad Pawar Support NDA? 'Varsha' Meeting Fuels NCP Merger Talks
Parliamentary Numbers Come Into Focus Amid Monsoon Session
The latest round of speculation comes as the NDA government prepares to introduce the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which begins on Monday (July 20). The proposed legislation seeks to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha to 850 seats and initiate a fresh delimitation exercise.
Currently, the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) holds eight seats in the Lok Sabha and one seat in the Rajya Sabha. As a result, the party's support or even its decision to remain neutral could prove crucial for the government.
ALSO READ: NCP Faces Fresh Internal Rift As Senior Leader Challenges Sunetra Pawar's Appointment As Party Chief
How Opposition is Reacting
Supriya Sule, the acting president of the NCP (Sharad Pawar) and MP from Baramati, said earlier this week that if the proposed delimitation is based on a uniform 50 per cent increase in seats across all states, there would be no reason to oppose it.
However, she clarified that any decision on the matter would be taken only after discussions within the INDIA bloc and that the party has not issued any formal statement supporting the proposal.
Back-to-Back High-Profile Meetings Between NCP-BJP
Political speculation intensified after leaders from both NCP factions held a late-night meeting on Wednesday at the official residence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, according to Jagran.com, the discussions focused on specific administrative issues rather than any political realignment.
NCP Sharad-Pawar leader Jayant Patil confirmed that he met the deputy chief minister to discuss local administrative matters related to his constituency in the Sangli district.
Patil also met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, seeking his intervention in the disqualification of Urun-Islampur Municipal Council President Anandrao Malgunde and Councillor Sunil Malgunde in an alleged encroachment case.
Reports also suggest that Sharad Pawar, along with MLAs from his faction, met Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his office last week. However, Supriya Sule downplayed the significance of the meeting venue, describing it as a mere coincidence.
These developments come amid growing speculation of a possible political realignment in Maharashtra, fuelled by a series of recent meetings between leaders of the rival NCP factions and senior members of the ruling alliance.