NCP (SCP) chief and former Maharashtra CM Sharad Pawar on Saturday broke the silence on rife speculations over his faction's plan to join the Mahayuti government after the alleged NCP reunification.
Speaking to the media, he said, "This is all going on your side (media), there is nothing like that here."
Although he has confirmed the talks of a merger. Earlier on Friday, he said that the talks of merger were in an advanced stage and it was scheduled to be announced on February 12, after the Zila Parishad elections.
Speaking about the swearing-in of Sunetra Pawar as Maharashtra's Deputy CM, senior Pawar said, "I have no information about it. 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. I had no discussion on this. I have no information about this...I am not even aware if it is happening."
However, on the question of whether he was taken into confidence regarding the decision, Pawar said, "Family stands united if an issue occurs in the family. There are no issues in the family."
The stalwart leader further claimed that it was his late nephew Ajit Pawar's wish to unite both factions, and that they were optimistic about it.
"Now we feel his wish should be fulfilled. Ajit Pawar, Shashikant Shinde and Jayant Patil had initiated the talks about the merger of the two factions. Even the merger date had been fixed - it was scheduled on the 12th (February). Unfortunately, Ajit left us before that," he said.
On January 28, Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Baramati while the aircraft was making a second landing. The CID is investigating the cause of the crash. Pawar was cremated in Baramati on January 29. After his demise, a section of the NCP leaders had demanded that she be given the post held by her late husband in the Devendra Fadnavis-led cabinet.