Nationalist Congress Party (SP) working president Supriya Sule on Thursday said it was the “moral responsibility” of party members to carry forward the unfinished dreams of Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash on January 28.
Responding to questions about renewed speculation over a possible merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party, Sule made it clear she did not wish to revisit past discussions.
“We are supporting each other and moving forward. Dada is no more, so I do not want to revisit old matters. Whatever discussions we had remain between us. It is our moral responsibility to complete his unfinished dreams,” news agency PTI quoted her as saying.
Merger Talks on Hold as Family Mourns
When asked whether talks on a merger would continue, Sule said the family was still in mourning and declined to comment further.
The buzz around a potential reunion between the two NCP factions had intensified in the run-up to Maharashtra’s civic elections. However, the sudden death of Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister and the central figure in the party’s split, appears to have stalled the process.
According to reports, including one by NDTV, Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar had concluded their discussions prior to the crash. February 12 had reportedly been chosen as the date for a formal merger announcement. With Ajit Pawar’s passing, that prospect now seems uncertain.
The two factions, which had joined hands for civic polls in Pune and several other areas, have since drifted apart again.
Questions Over Crash and Leadership Shift
Addressing concerns raised by MLA Rohit Pawar regarding the circumstances of the plane crash, Sule said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured a detailed inquiry.
“His uneasiness is natural. There are many questions about what happened, how it happened and whether it could have been prevented. The chief minister has promised a detailed probe. We should wait for its outcome,” said the Baramati Lok Sabha MP.
The tragedy has also triggered fresh questions about the party’s leadership trajectory. It remains unclear what role Sharad Pawar, founder of the NCP and Ajit Pawar’s uncle, would have assumed had the merger gone ahead. Whether he would have aligned with the NDA or stepped back from active politics was never formally clarified.
Sharad Pawar’s Rajya Sabha term is set to end in two months, and he has previously stated he does not intend to return to the Upper House.
In a swift political development, Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s wife, was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister four days after his death. Sharad Pawar later said he had no prior information about the move. The speed of the decision, and the choice of successor, has raised further questions within political circles.