No question of merger of NCP factions or joining govt: Supriya Sule

Mumbai, Aug 29 (IANS) Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) working president and MP Supriya Sule on Saturday categorically dismissed speculation about a merger of NCP factions or joining the ruling government, saying her stance remains firmly against such moves.

Speaking to a Marathi channel, Sule said, “Ajit Dada is no longer with us; what is there to discuss now?” She explained that earlier discussions on a possible merger were limited to four leaders – Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil and Amol Kolhe – with regular updates given to Sharad Pawar.

She rejected reports of negotiations for power, stating, “The NCP is working with great strength, so the question of a merger does not arise at all. When there is no proposal in the first place, there is no question of joining the government.”

Her remarks coincided with a core committee meeting of the party to discuss upcoming local body elections and the roadmap for the state assembly polls. Sule noted that state president Shashikant Shinde, Jayant Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Harshvardhan Patil, Jitendra Awhad, Rajesh Tope, Amol Kolhe, Nilesh Lanke, Fauziya Khan, Rajendra Shingane and Ashok Pawar were among those present.

On Rohit Pawar’s absence from a Sharad Pawar‑led meeting and reports of his proximity to the Congress, Sule said she would not advise him, stressing that the party practises internal democracy. She remarked that restlessness is natural at his age.

Days earlier, Sharad Pawar had himself ruled out any merger or alignment with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the NCP would play the role of opposition.

Sule emphasised that in her mind there is only one NCP – the one founded by Sharad Pawar. “No one should be under the misconception that there are two or three NCPs. The NCP was Pawar Saheb’s yesterday, it is his today, and it will remain his tomorrow. The party was snatched away in a wrong manner, and it should rightly be returned to him,” she said, adding that the matter remains pending in court.

On succession, she said the decision rests entirely with Sharad Pawar. “He will decide who his successor will be. It could be anyone. That is his internal matter because the party has belonged to him since its inception,” she added, criticising the Election Commission’s decision to strip them of the party name and symbol.

Sule praised Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for forming a separate party when differences arose, contrasting his path with recent splits in Maharashtra. She alleged that the handling of NCP and Shiv Sena cases was inconsistent compared to the Trinamool Congress, pointing to delays in their own hearings.

–IANS

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