NAGPUR: Former Maharashtra Home Minister and senior NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Friday asserted there was no question of a merger between the rival Nationalist Congress Party factions, but added anyone who wish to join his outfit was welcome.
The ruling NCP's Maharashtra president Sunil Tatkare earlier said the merger of the two factions would have happened in February this year if then-Deputy Chief Minister and party president Ajit Pawar had been alive.
Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Baramati in Pune district on January 28.
Talking to reporters in Nagpur, Deshmukh claimed Tatkare has been making contradictory remarks on the merger issue.
He said it was already decided, when Ajit Pawar was alive, that the NCP will leave the BJP-led government and both parties will merge.
Deshmukh said that after the sudden death of Ajit Pawar, Tatkare had claimed the then NCP president had not told party leaders anything about possible reunification of the rival parties.
The former minister asked why Tatkare is now claiming that the merger would have taken place on February 12 had Ajit Pawar been alive.
Deshmukh insisted there was no question of both parties -- ruling NCP and Opposition NCP (SP) --coming together.
"If someone wants to join our party they are welcome. However, there was no question of a merger," the NCP (SP) leader emphasised.