Chandrakant Patil calls NCP merger rumours speculation

Mumbai

Maharashtra Minister and BJP leader Chandrakant Patil dismissed rumours about a potential merger between two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday. He clarified that the speculation was merely a topic of discussion and had never been seriously considered. The rumours gained traction after Sharad Pawar reportedly stated that Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar should decide on the issue.

Patil highlighted that the NCP had always been controlled by three main figures: Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya Sule, and his nephew Ajit Pawar. He also mentioned that others, like NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil and MLA Rohit Pawar, were sidelined and had no major role in decision-making.

The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999, split in July 2023 when Ajit Pawar joined the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Ahead of the 2024 elections, Ajit Pawar’s faction won 41 seats, while Sharad Pawar’s faction performed poorly.