Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sunil Tatkare has said he was aware of discussions regarding a possible merger between his faction and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), but clarified that he was not opposed to the idea.
Speaking to a Marathi news channel, Tatkare expressed disappointment that the merger talks were made public at a time when the party was mourning the sudden demise of its leader and then Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on January 28.
Tatkare questioned the narrative around the proposed merger, stating that the key issue remains “who will merge with whom”. He also made it clear that his party will continue its alliance with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Following Ajit Pawar’s death, leaders from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) had claimed that discussions on a merger were underway before his passing. However, leaders from Tatkare’s faction had earlier denied that any such decision had been finalised.
In recent developments, NCP MLA Sunil Shelke, known to be a close associate of Ajit Pawar, and Assembly Deputy Speaker Anna Bansode have voiced support for a possible merger under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.
Reiterating his stance, Tatkare said he was informed about the talks but emphasised that the party’s current political alignment with the NDA remains unchanged.
