- NCP factions met at CM Fadnavis's Varsha residence.
- Meeting fueled talks of party merger and NDA support.
- Sharad Pawar's grandnephew Rohit Pawar raised objections.
Jagran Correspondent, Mumbai: The politics of Maharashtra has witnessed a roller-coaster ride recently with speculations of 'Operation Tiger 3' and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP extending its support to the ruling NDA. Amid such reports, a meeting was held between senior leaders from both factions of the NCP at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's official residence, Varsha. The meeting has given fuel to the possibilities of a merger of both the factions and Sharad Pawar extending his support to the NDA.
The high-profile meeting was attended by NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil; Sunetra Pawar-led state president Sunil Tatkare; and senior leader Praful Patel. The senior leaders reportedly discussed current political developments and various other issues in the meeting with the chief minister that lasted nearly one and half hours.
Merger Talks Gain Momentum
As per the reports, preliminary discussions also began on a potential merger of the two factions of the NCP. Earlier in 2023, the party witnessed a major split after Ajit Pawar, along with other senior leaders, decided to support the NDA. While speculation about the two factions reuniting surfaced several times in the recent past, no official statement was given. However, following a meeting at the chief minister's residence, the reports have gained momentum once again.
Will Sharad Pawar Support NDA?
Apart from this, the senior leaders also discussed the possibility of the Sharad Pawar-led party extending its support to the NDA. While any official confirmation has not been made by any senior leader yet, a meeting between Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde intensified the talks. As per the reports, while the senior leaders have agreed to switch sides, Rohit Pawar, grandnephew of Sharad Pawar, has raised objections.
As per the political experts, Sharad Pawar will support the ruling alliance if the two factions unite in the coming months.
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