(Image source from: Ndtv.com)
The two groups within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are set to come together again, with an official announcement anticipated in the second week of February, following the local elections. Senior figures from both groups have stated that Ajit Pawar, who tragically passed away in a plane crash on Wednesday, had been instrumental in facilitating this merger and had discussions with his uncle, Sharad Pawar, in December and January. They had planned to officially reveal the merger through a joint press conference after the local elections. It's expected that leaders from both sides will gather next week to finalize the details of the merger, as reported by sources.
However, some members from the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar are hesitant about merging right away, feeling it could be used for "political advantages. " On the other hand, members from Sharad Pawar's faction are pushing for a swift merger. Sources mentioned that Sunetra Pawar will play a significant role in the merger's progress.
In addition to Sharad Pawar, sources indicate that three other potential leaders for the united NCP are Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, Supriya Sule, and Praful Patel. There is strong support within the NCP for Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP, to become the party president and leader of the legislative party. If that plan encounters obstacles due to practical issues or political factors, Praful Patel from the NCP may be the next candidate to take the lead, as indicated by sources.
Sharad Pawar established the NCP after breaking away from the Congress party in 1999. His nephew, Ajit Pawar, went against the party in July 2023, leading his faction to join the ruling Mahayuti and form a government. Several close allies of Sharad Pawar, including Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, and Dilip Walse-Patil, also aligned with Ajit Pawar's group. On Wednesday, Ajit Pawar and four others tragically lost their lives when their aircraft crashed just about 100 meters from the edge of a tabletop runway at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane caught fire during what officials are describing as a second attempt to land amid poor visibility. Along with Ajit Pawar, the deceased included two pilots, Sumit Kapur and Sambhavi Pathak, Pawar's personal security officer, Vidip Jadhav, and a flight attendant named Pinky Mali.
In remembrance of Ajit Pawar, NCP leader Ankush Kakade noted that Ajit had hoped to unite the two factions last month as a 'present' for Sharad Pawar on his birthday (December 12), but the merger did not happen at that time. Senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil also mentioned to NDTV that Ajit Pawar had advocated for a reunion and had conducted important meetings in pursuit of this on January 16 and 17.
