Dissatisfaction within the Nationalist Congress Party deepened after a faction of veteran leaders held talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on November 1 without Sunetra Pawar or Parth Pawar. A hospital meeting between Praful Patel and Sharad Pawar subsequently fueled talk of a reunion, with discussions potentially resuming after November 10. While state president Sunil Tatkare revealed that late leader Ajit Pawar had originally envisioned a February 12 reunification before his fatal January plane crash, rival faction members view the renewed push as a symptom of internal disarray.
Key points
Disgruntled party seniors are actively exploring a reunion with the rival faction due to…: Disgruntled party seniors are actively exploring a reunion with the rival faction due to lack of collaborative decision-making.
Any prospective merger remains contingent on resolving disputes regarding prospective par…: Any prospective merger remains contingent on resolving disputes regarding prospective party leadership and broader political alliances.
The Sharad Pawar faction is taking a cautious stance and expects the interested leaders t…: The Sharad Pawar faction is taking a cautious stance and expects the interested leaders to initiate formal talks.
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PUNE: Upset with the functioning of
NCP chief Sunetra Pawar’s elder son Parth Pawar, a group of party seniors are exploring the possibility of reviving merger talks with NCP (SP) after three rounds of meetings this week failed to ease tension within its top leadership.
On Thursday, NCP working president Praful Patel met NCP (SP) chief
Sharad Pawar at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. A short video of the meeting surfaced on social media, in which Pawar was heard asking Patel to arrange a meeting after Nov 10. This fuelled speculation about the possible resumption of merger discussions between the two parties.
Though NCP state president Sunil Tatkare on Friday said no meeting with NCP (SP) leaders has been scheduled, he admitted that the reunification was a part of late Ajit Pawar’s plan. “When the merger talks were on, Ajit Dada had shared details with me. Had he been alive, the merger would have taken place on Feb 12,” Tatkare said.
Tatkare had refuted the NCP (SP) members’ claims of merger talks between the two parties soon after Ajit Pawar’s…
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Medical professionals at Breach Candy Hospital confirmed the veteran politician is stable following treatment for bronchitis and a chest infection. The 85-year-old leader is returning home to recuperate after a multi-day stay that drew visits from high-profile political and business figures. His discharge marks a positive turn after receiving specialized observation across healthcare facilities in both Pune and Mumbai.
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