Supriya Sule Rules Out NCP Merger, Says Reunification Talks Ended With Ajit Pawar's Death

Amid growing speculation over a possible reunification of the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions, NCP (SP) national working president Supriya Sule on Thursday ruled out any ongoing merger talks, stating that the matter ended for her following the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28.

Speaking to reporters, Sule clarified that she has neither received any formal proposal for a merger nor been approached by anyone regarding it. Her remarks come shortly after Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare also dismissed the current reunification buzz.

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'My Brother's Sudden Demise Changed Everything'

While acknowledging that discussions on a potential reunion had taken place when Ajit Pawar was alive, Sule said that subsequent developments brought the process to a halt.

"I have not received any proposal for a merger, so I do not know which proposal you are referring to. No one has approached me or spoken to me about it," Sule said, addressing questions on the recent back-to-back meetings between leaders from both camps.

The moment my brother passed away, it was over for me… - Supriya Sule, when reporters asked her about merger with NCP Looks like Rohit Pawar managed to convince her. https://t.co/rHD8JMXWqd

— Trupti Garg (@garg_trupti) November 12, 2026

When pressed about several NCP leaders meeting NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar over the past week, Sule maintained that she could only speak for herself.

"When my brother (Ajit Pawar) was alive, we held discussions about the merger of the two parties. He discussed the matter with all of us. A video of one such meeting, held at Govindbaug on January 17, is already in the public domain. The entire world knew what we were planning and the direction in which things were moving. However, my brother's sudden demise changed everything. From my side, the matter ended there," she said.

Political Buzz After Meeting With Amit Shah

Speculation over a potential reunion gained fresh momentum nearly two weeks ago after a delegation of six senior NCP leaders, including national working president Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on November 1. The leaders were learnt to have indicated their support for a merger during the interaction, triggering intense speculation across Maharashtra, Hindustan Times reported.

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Sule, however, refused to comment on the NCP delegation's meeting with Shah, terming it an internal matter of the rival faction.

Meanwhile, Tatkare, who had publicly acknowledged on November 6 that the two factions would have reunited on February 12 had Ajit Pawar been alive, met Sunetra Pawar in Baramati on Tuesday, followed by a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at his official residence, Varsha, on Wednesday.

Background Of The NCP Split

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) split in July 2023 after Ajit Pawar broke away from his uncle Sharad Pawar to join the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, subsequently securing the original party name and symbol.

Sharad Pawar'scamp was allotted the name Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). Less than three years after the split, both sides began exploring a reunification, with Ajit Pawar keen on bringing the factions together by February 12, a move cut short by the fatal Baramati plane crash.