Ajit puts forth conditions amid NCP merger talks

Leaders of Sharad Pawar faction who criticised the junior Pawar during poll campaigns must apologise, Deputy CM's lobby insists

- SUDHIR SURYAWANSHI @ Mumbai

AMID growing speculation over a possible merger of the Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra, both sides are engaged in a tug-of-war to control the narrative.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's faction insists that the merger will be conditional. The condition is that leaders of the Sharad Pawar faction who abused and criticised the younger Pawar in the campaign for the general and assembly elections must first apologise.

Ajit faction spokesperson and MLC Amol Mitkari said there was no talk of a merger with their party, but any merger depends on NCP SP leaders, particularly NCP SP Lok Sabha MP Amol Kolhle and NCP MLA Uttam Jankar, first saying sorry for their below-the-belt criticism of Ajit Pawar.