Merger possibility between NCP factions over, issue not on our agenda: NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil

Mumbai, Mar 4 (PTI) Senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of a merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party and admitted that talks stopped after NCP chief Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash.

He asserted that the issue of reunification of the two factions is no longer on the agenda of NCP (SP).

"The possibility of a merger between the two NCPs is over. The idea of a merger was a brainchild of (then Deputy CM and NCP chief) Ajit Pawar. He was holding talks with both sides. The talks have stopped since his death. I don't see these talks restarting in future. The merger is no longer on the agenda," Patil told reporters on the premises of Vidhan Bhavan.

The timing of remarks has raised eyebrows as all three constituents in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, namely Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress, have staked claims to contest the lone Rajya Sabha seat the Opposition could win in Maharashtra.

According to sources, the Sena (UBT) and Congress had expressed apprehensions that the merger of the two NCPs and the renomination of Sharad Pawar to the Upper House would effectively mean conceding the seventh seat to the NDA.

Against this backdrop, Jayant Patil has clarified that merger talks have ceased.

"Both our allies are well aware of this," he added.

Amid the merger buzz, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had said the process may now face a roadblock due to the death of Ajit Pawar.

He had said that the process to merge the two factions had been underway for the past four months under Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil.

"All discussions were held at their level, but it now appears the process may hit a roadblock following the (plane) accident. The talks were progressing in a positive direction, but the accident adversely affected the process,” the former Union minister said on January 31, three days after Ajit Pawar was killed.

The veteran politician had also expressed his inability to predict the prospects of the merger process, as he was not part of these discussions.

"The decision on the merger was supposed to be announced on February 12. Ajit had given this date, but unfortunately, the accident took place,” he had said.

After contesting the January 15 civic elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad together, the two factions decided to continue the tie-up for next month’s Zilla Parishad elections too.

The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, split after Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government in July 2023. He was appointed the deputy CM at that time, and his stint in the post continued after Devendra Fadnavis came to the helm as CM following the November 2024 assembly polls. PTI ND NSK