There is constant talk of the merger of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra. Till now no big leader from Bharatiya Janata Party had responded on this issue, but now CM Devendra Fadnavis himself has expressed his views openly for the first time. He said that both the parties led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar are separate and are free to take their own decisions. In such a situation, the decision on merger of both the groups will have to be taken together. Fadnavis made it clear that no decision can be taken from his side in this matter.
While talking to journalists in Nagpur, Devendra Fadnavis said that it would not be right for him to comment on the plan of merger of the two factions. Both the parties have their own leaders and organizations. Therefore, it is up to them to decide whether they want to come together or not. The Chief Minister also said that till now the Bharatiya Janata Party has not been informed about any ongoing talks between the two groups.
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What did you say about Sharad faction joining NDA?
Devendra Fadnavis also talked about the role of BJP within NDA in this matter. He said that if Ajit Pawar's NCP takes any decision regarding merger, it will have to consult BJP. Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said, if Sharad Pawar and Sunetra Pawar decide to merge, they will themselves come and tell us, because the merger cannot happen without our consent. So far none of them have told us anything.
Explaining the reason for this, he said that BJP is the biggest ally party in NDA. In such a situation, it will be necessary to talk to BJP on any major political decision related to the alliance.
What did you say about Ajit Pawar?
When Fadnavis was asked to compare Sunetra Pawar's leadership with that of her late husband Ajit Pawar, he said it would be unfair to make such comparisons. He told that Ajit Pawar had decades of political experience and had a deep understanding of Maharashtra.
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Discussion regarding NCP vial
It is noteworthy that in the politics of Maharashtra, the discussion about reunification of both the factions of NCP has been going on for a long time. After the death of Ajit Pawar, talks between the two groups broke down. After a few months, discussions have started again regarding the merger of the two groups. NDA is expected to benefit from the merger of NCP but till now no consensus has been reached between the two groups regarding the merger.