At foundation day events, NCP factions rule out reunion; focus on civic elections

While both parties ruled out joining hands, the real test of strength will come during the civic polls

- Yogesh Joshi and Abhay Khairnar

PUNE: Leaders of both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar on Tuesday indicated that there is no immediate scope for a reunion between the two camps, as they marked the party's 26th foundation day at separate events in Pune.

The statements came amid growing political buzz over a possible merger in the run-up to crucial local body elections in Maharashtra. In its May ruling, the Supreme Court directed the state government to conduct long-pending civic polls, including for 29 municipal corporations and several municipal councils, within four months. The elections are expected to take place by September.

At the NCP event in Pune's Balewadi stadium, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar avoided giving a definitive answer on the merger issue, saying such decisions are taken by top leaders, not by party workers or junior leaders. State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare was more categorical. "There is no such proposal," he said when asked about the possibility of the two factions coming together again.

Tatkare maintained that the decision to join the NDA was a collective one taken in the interest of the people. "It was not Ajit Pawar's personal decision. From 2014, there were several moments when the (then united) party considered joining the BJP-led alliance, only to change its mind at the last minute. In 2023, we finally joined hands with the NDA for the welfare of the people, without compromising on our secular ideology," he said.

Ajit also defended his faction's decision to be part of the BJP-Shiv Sena government. "We are not saints who will stay in the opposition just to protest. We want to work for the people," he said.