Pawar's remarks spark reunion buzz

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar's remarks — twice in as many days — that a section of the party wanted to reunite with Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar-led NCP and that it was up to party's national working president Supriya Sule and state unit chief Jayant Patil to take a call on the matter, sparked speculations about a possible reunion of the two factions.

- Shailesh Gaikwad

MUMBAI:

The veteran leader spoke on the subject in an interview with a national daily on Wednesday and informally with reporters in Pune on Thursday.

"As far as we are concerned, there are two views inside the party. One is that we reunite (with Ajit Pawar-led NCP). The second section feels do not go with the BJP, directly or indirectly. Let's join the INDIA group and reorganise the alliance," he told in the interview.

"Our thinking is to work in the Opposition. We should create a credible alternative to the BJP," he said, adding: "Supriya (Sule) has to take a stand, decide whether to sit in the Opposition in Parliament or not."