NCP Merger Talks Gain Momentum After Key Leaders Meet Sharad Pawar in Delhi
New Delhi: A meeting between Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders Parth Pawar and Praful Patel with NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar in the national capital on Wednesday has revived discussions about a possible merger of the two rival NCP factions.
The meeting, which took place in New Delhi, comes days after Sharad Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week. While neither side has disclosed the agenda of the discussions, the back-to-back meetings have led to increased political speculation that efforts to bring the two NCP factions together may have accelerated.
The NCP split into two groups in July 2023 when Ajit Pawar, along with several other MLAs, joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Maharashtra. Since then, the faction led by Sharad Pawar, recognised as the original NCP by the Election Commission, and the faction led by Ajit Pawar have been engaged in a legal and political battle over the party's name and symbol.
Parth Pawar is the son of Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule and is seen as a key figure in the Sharad Pawar camp. Praful Patel, a former Union minister, is a close aide of Ajit Pawar and serves as a Rajya Sabha member from the Ajit Pawar faction. Their meeting with Sharad Pawar indicates that backchannel talks between the two camps have resumed after a period of stagnation.
Political analysts note that merger efforts had appeared to lose momentum in recent weeks, but this sudden meeting has rekindled hopes of a reunion. The development is being watched closely, especially in the context of upcoming elections and the political realignments in Maharashtra.
Neither leader spoke to the media after the meeting, and no official statement has been issued. However, sources indicate that the discussions were positive and aimed at exploring ways to bridge differences between the two factions. The meeting is seen as a significant step, though concrete outcomes remain uncertain.
The NCP's split has been a major talking point in Maharashtra politics, with both factions claiming legitimacy. Any merger would require mutual agreement on leadership and organisational structure, which could prove challenging given the competing interests.
