NEW DELHI: Was Ajit ‘dada’ Pawar contemplating an NCP merger earlier than his demise? An in depth aide stated he was “100% eager.”The sudden demise of Maharashtra deputy chief minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in a aircraft crash on Wednesday has left a political vacuum within the state’s ruling institution, and reopened questions on a reunion which will have been nearer than many realised.
Ajit Pawar, the second-most highly effective determine within the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti authorities and a key pillar alongside Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde, was on the centre of Maharashtra’s three-power-axis politics. With the Baramati strongman gone, the way forward for the Nationalist Congress Get together, fractured since its dramatic break up in 2023, now hangs in uncertainty.Additionally learn: Black field recovered; govt assures time-bound probe In his last days, was Ajit Pawar actively working in the direction of merging each factions of the NCP?In line with these closest to him, the reply is sure.A senior aide informed information company PTI that the late chief was eager on a reunion of the 2 factions led by him and his uncle, Sharad Pawar. Kiran Gurjar, a longtime affiliate who has recognized Ajit Pawar since earlier than his entry into politics within the mid-Nineteen Eighties, stated the deputy CM had confided in him simply 5 days earlier than the deadly crash.“He was 100 per cent eager on merging each the factions. He had informed me 5 days in the past that your complete course of was full and the merger was imminent within the subsequent few days,” Gujar stated.Echoing the sentiment, a pacesetter from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) Eknath Khadse informed ANI, “Each factions of NCP to return collectively.”Ajit Pawar himself had earlier informed TOI that reuniting the celebration was his rapid political purpose, with the blessings of uncle Sharad Pawar.The irony of the second is stark. Ajit Pawar was the architect of the 2023 break up that broke the NCP and aligned a majority of its legislators with the BJP–Shinde Sena-led Mahayuti authorities. That transfer left Sharad Pawar with the remaining faction in opposition. But Ajit Pawar additionally managed to retain the celebration’s official identification, with the Election Fee recognising his group because the “actual” NCP and awarding it the “watch” image.Regardless of the break up, channels between the 2 sides by no means totally closed. Mutual respect throughout the Pawar household endured, and the 2 factions not too long ago got here collectively for native physique elections, fuelling hypothesis {that a} merger was solely a matter of time.Now, the ruling NCP finds itself leaderless. With senior chief Chhagan Bhujbal not in good well being and Ajit Pawar gone, the celebration faces an unsure future. Sharad Pawar, the celebration’s founder and patron, continues to move the opposition NCP (SP).Inside Ajit Pawar’s faction, voices are already rising over succession. Many celebration members need his spouse and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar to take cost. Others have floated the title of Parth Pawar, whereas some see Ajit’s son Jay Pawar because the pure political inheritor from the Baramati bastion.“NCP’s identification goes with the Pawar household and to this point the celebration’s functioning revolved round Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule. Now with the premature demise of Ajit Pawar, many celebration seniors in addition to grassroots employees really feel that solely his spouse Sunetra can take his place,” one NCP functionary informed TOI.Ajit Pawar had already begun getting ready the following era. In 2024, he launched Jay Pawar to Baramati’s political circles and held conferences with native models throughout the election marketing campaign. After Sunetra Pawar’s defeat within the Lok Sabha election, Ajit had expressed his want to step apart and nominate Jay because the celebration’s candidate for the Baramati meeting seat.“Ajitdada was eager to deliver Jay into energetic politics. He was getting ready him for an even bigger function within the celebration. After his demise, the demand is rising significantly from Baramati for Jay to get into politics. Although NCP seniors are usually not averse to his entry, they felt that his mom Sunetra, who comes from a political household, will have the ability to command extra respect and hold the NCP flock collectively, if a merger doesn’t work out,” an observer informed TOI.Sunetra Pawar had contested in opposition to Supriya Sule within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections however misplaced. This time, celebration insiders consider that if a Pawar from Ajit’s household contests from Baramati, no main celebration is prone to discipline a rival candidate.But Ajit Pawar’s demise has difficult what as soon as appeared like an imminent reunion. The merger talks had been anticipated to achieve momentum after the February 5 zilla parishad elections, however with out the person driving the method, consensus could also be troublesome.One other shut aide and NCP functionary stated that the talks of reunion had been “solely restricted to Pawar relations”.He added, “They had been nonetheless figuring out a technique to contain different senior members from each side to take the proposal ahead. Resulting from Ajit Pawar’s demise, the method of getting a reunion is prone to halt for a while until the NCP finds its new chief.”Political observers observe that the most important problem lies in energy alignment. Ajit Pawar’s faction is a part of the ruling Mahayuti, whereas Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) stays in opposition. Convincing MLAs in authorities to surrender energy or persuading the opposition faction to affix the BJP-led alliance, is not going to be straightforward.Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule, the working president of NCP (SP), now face an important resolution: whether or not a reunion is well worth the ideological and political compromises it could demand.Whether or not the 2 NCPs reunite or chart separate futures, one actuality is obvious — Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise has altered Maharashtra’s political equations in methods that may take time to settle.
