Chapter is Closed: Supriya Sule rules out NDA alignment, NCP merger

Mumbai, July 10 (IANS) Dismissing intense speculation of a major political realignment in Maharashtra, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule on Friday firmly stated that her party had no intentions of joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Sule’s clarification comes after days of mounting rumours within state political circles. The speculation was triggered by a recent meeting between NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, alongside reports of an encounter between party leader Jayant Patil and BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde. Rumours were further fuelled by claims that several NCP(SP) lawmakers were feeling uneasy about the party’s direction.

Addressing a press conference to put the rumours to rest, Sule was unequivocal. “Nobody is talking to us, and we are not talking to anyone. The question of aligning with the BJP has not even crossed our discussions,” Sule clarified. “These news reports are strictly confined to newspapers and television channels.”

Taking a lighter approach to the constant media scrutiny, the Baramati MP invoked a lesson from her father. “Sharad Pawar always says that if you are being discussed — whether for good or bad reasons — it means your political currency is still strong and sound,” she said with a chuckle. “For years now, even news about my own purported oath-taking ceremonies has surfaced repeatedly.”

Sule also strongly refuted claims made by senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan that some NCP(SP) lawmakers were disgruntled. “All our MPs are in regular contact. We meet frequently, discuss strategies, and there is absolutely no resentment or dissatisfaction within the party,” she emphasised.

She drew a definitive line regarding a potential reunion or merger between the two split factions of the Nationalist Congress Party. While acknowledging that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had previously expressed a wish for a reunion and that discussions had taken place, Sule made it clear that the window has closed. “That chapter is now closed. We are moving forward on our path, and they are on theirs. Currently, there are no talks of a merger between the two NCP factions,” Sule stated, effectively ending further political conjecture.

Earlier on July 7, Sule had downplayed the political gravity of the meeting between Jayant Patil and the BJP’s Vinod Tawde. While she could not confirm that the specific meeting took place, Sule normalised interactions across party lines by noting that she regularly meets Tawde and other BJP leaders due to shared committee assignments. In the past month alone, she noted, she had crossed paths with various committee members, including the BJP party president, over 21 times for routine administrative work rather than political matchmaking.

When pressed on whether her party would soon return to power, Sule emphasised that their primary role remains serving the public, though she hinted at a tough political battle ahead. “People have been speculating about us for the last 12 years,” Sule said. “If the current governance continues as it is, the NCP(SP) and our allies will have no choice but to fight hard and seize power. God knows what this government will do next.”

–IANS

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