The hot and cold blowing over the merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has been going on for the past few weeks, and the fresh details suggest that there are more obstacles to be cleared before the two parties decide to unite again.
According to a report by Marathi Jagran, Sunetra is against the merger. Her stand is intended to maintain an independent political existence of her party, as she believes the merger could put her faction's future to question. She, however, has reportedly suggested another option where the two parties could ally, keeping their individual existence intact, while uniting their voter base again under the banners of Mahayuti.
The firm stance of Sunetra Pawar is pushing the merger away. Faction leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday clarified that the discussions are in a preliminary stage, explaining complexities. He claimed that the merger talks started during the days of Ajit Pawar when the late NCP chief and Maharashtra Deputy CM visited him along with Sharad Pawar faction's Jayant Patil.
However, he added that the talks hit a roadblock after the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar. Arguing that he always favoured the unification of NCPs, Bhujbal said that the two factions are in different alliances and any merger would require them to convince their respective allies.
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NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule also reacted to the buzz, stressing that she has not received any merger proposal.
What is holding up the merger talks?
Ideological difference with BJP: Sunetra Pawar-led NCP-AP is part of the Mahayuti government while Sharad Pawar has traditionally remained against the BJP over ideological differences. The merger would require NCP-SP to join Mahayuti, leaving the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance unless a new and unique arrangement is made.
Sunetra Pawar's low experience and existential crisis: Sunetra Pawar is leading the Ajit Pawar faction and is new to politics. On the other hand, there are leaders like Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar and Rohit Pawar who come with a huge experience and influence. Sunetra reportedly believes that a merger would put an end to the very existence of her faction, which established Ajit Pawar as the undisputed NCP leader across the state after NCP-SP's poll rout. She believes that the influence of Sharad Pawar would overshadow hers in public perception, which could eventually bring an end to her career.
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Party control: Public perception and individual influence may play a big role, but control over the party holds the key, making it the biggest flashpoint. Coming together of two parties solves many disputes but throws even more challenges. The party control question will have to be resolved before the merger could be finalised. Party organisation, political future of office bearers, MLAs and MPs are among key questions that hold up the merger.