Ahead of the 2027 State elections, BJP is trying to give a blow to the growing influence of the Opposition's unity -- I.N.D.I.Alliance by merging both the NCPs and bringing under the BJP led NDA government.
Union minister Amit Shah, who is overseeing both the NCPs’ operations, had called the key leaders of both the parties, including Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Sunil Tatkare, Dilip Walse Patil among others to Delhi to discuss the merger and to iron out the differences between NCP National president Sunetra Pawar and her son Parth Pawar and other NCP leaders thereby facilitating the merger.
Sources said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who earlier met NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar, is keen to take both the NCPs on board of the NDA government as a larger strategy to break the INDIA block and break the movement that the opposition is gaining through Vote Chori campaign ahead of the upcoming elections, including Uttar Pradesh.
“It was decided that once the NCP merger take place, Sharad Pawar will be chief of the united NCP and the party will get two cabinet ministerial berths in the central government.
Besides, Sunetra Pawar will be replaced by the senior and experienced NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal as deputy chief minister in Maharashtra. Supriya Sule and Praful Patel will be cabinet ministers in the centre, and the names of Jayant Patil, Rohit Pawar and Jitendra Awhads are discussed as ministers in the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra,” said a source.
A senior leader who was privy to this political development said that the merger of the NCPs was expected to happen earlier when Sharad Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the run of the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
But some sections of the NCPs are not keen on the merger as Sunetra Pawar and her son will lose the space and control over the party established by Ajit Pawar.
Besides, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare were also reluctant about whether they would really get the importance when the united NCP goes completely with senior Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule. Therefore, for some or other reasons, the merger was delayed citing different reasons at different times,” the source said, seeking anonymity.
He added that after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led the opposition's mega and historic rally at Ram Lila ground in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the union minister Amit Shah to hasten the NCP merger as a big blow to Mr Gandhi and the opposition's unity.
“As part of this development, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met NCP leaders in Mumbai and later these leaders were called to Delhi to finalize the modalities of merger. If things work out smoothly and Sharad Pawar continued to remain on same page, then the merger of both the NCPs will take place ahead of state polls,” he added.
NCP officially issued a note after the meeting of its leaders with Union minister Amit Shah that there are no differences in the party.
Sharad Pawar earlier denied any such move and asked his party workers to strengthen the party as opposition. In the case of NCPs' merger, the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was crucial. Sharad Pawar has invited PM Narendra Modi to Baramati to inaugurate a new memorial called 'Prerna Sthal' on the campus of Vidya Pratishthan. The program was scheduled on November 3, 2026, but it was postponed. On the sidelines of this program also, the NCP merger is likely to be discussed.
Meanwhile, the 85-year-old Sharad Pawarhas been admitted in a private hospital in Pune, following cough and uneasiness. His daughter Supriya Sule posted on social media on Monday; “Baba has been admitted to Rubby Hospital, Pune, following a bout of cough. He is undergoing medical tests, and all his health parameters are stable. Thank you for your concern and good wishes.”
