Sharad Pawar Keeps NCP Merger Buzz Alive, Says 'No Harm In Setting Aside Differences'

Last Updated:June 27, 2025, 09:59 IST

Sharad and Ajit Pawar were seen sharing the stage on several occasions, fuelling rumours of a possible patch-up between two rival NCP factions ahead of local elections.

Sharad Pawar with his nephew Ajit Pawar | File Image: PTI

On speculation of a possible patch-up between the two rival factions of the ist Congress Party (NCP), veteran politician Sharad Pawar said it would be good if both NCP factions work for the good of Maharashtra.

“If both NCP factions work together for the good, it will always be welcome. There’s no harm in setting aside differences for better governance," he said. However, there is no indication that both parties have proposed a serious step in the direction of an alliance.

His remarks assume significance as a re-merger of the two factions of NCP will mark a significant shift in the state’s politics. In July 2023, Ajit Pawar – now the deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra – had split from his uncle to join the Mahayuti government.

In last year’s Lok Sabha elections, the NCP (Sharadchandra faction) scored victories in eight of the 10 seats it had contested while Ajit Pawar’s faction could only win a single seat. However, things turned in Ajit Pawar’s favour as his party won 41 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, compared to NCP’s (SP) 10 seats.

This was a humiliating loss for Sharad Pawar, who still holds significant importance in Maharashtra politics. Earlier this month, the veteran leader had asserted that his party would not align with anyone who had joined hands with the BJP for power. “We won’t come together with those who joined hands with the BJP. We can only be with people who believe in the ideology of Gandhi, Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar," he said in an event in Pune recently.

Meanwhile, Sunil Tatkare, Maharashtra unit NCP chief, clarified that the decision to join the Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2023 was a collective one, not solely Ajit Pawar’s, and dismissed speculation over a possible merger.

Why Rumours Of An NCP Merger Are Floating?

Speculation had grown recently over a possible NCP re-merger ahead of local body elections in the state. Both Pawars were seen sharing the stage on several occasions, fuelling rumours of a patch-up.

Furthermore, Ajit Pawar has scored a significant victory in the Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Factory elections, with his Shri Nilkantheshwar Panel sweeping 20 of the 21 seats, while the NCP (SP) drawing a blank.

The Malegaon Sugar Factory is one of the region’s oldest and most powerful cooperative institutions. Ajit Pawar’s win consolidated his grip over Baramati’s cooperative politics and established him as an influential political leader despite his break from Sharad Pawar.

This comes amid reports of a possible alliance between Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), who recently spoke of keeping aside their “minor differences" for the sake of Maharashtra.

News politics Sharad Pawar Keeps NCP Merger Buzz Alive, Says 'No Harm In Setting Aside Differences'