Mumbai, Feb 18 (NationPress) Rohit Pawar, an MLA from the Nationalist Congress Party (SP), asserted on Wednesday that there were discussions about a potential merger between the two factions of the NCP, proposing that Amol Kolhe, the MP for Shirur Lok Sabha, was suggested as the state president of the merged party.

“As you are aware, Ajit Dada played a crucial role in the merger discussions between the two parties. It was determined to the point that Amol Kolhe was to take on the role of state president of the party,” stated Rohit Pawar.

He further mentioned that several meetings were convened to deliberate on the merger. “Approximately 13 meetings took place at Jayant Patil's residence in South Mumbai to strategize the merger. Those who are skeptical can review the CCTV footage if necessary,” he added.

In response to these claims, Amol Kolhe acknowledged that discussions had occurred earlier but indicated that the matter is no longer significant.

“Everything began during my collaborative journey with Ajit Pawar on May 16. We traveled together on the day of the Malegaon sugar factory election. What Rohit Pawar has stated today has been circulating in the public domain for several days. However, the individual who was instrumental in these discussions is no longer with us, making discussions about what was settled meaningless at this point,” Kolhe remarked.

Kolhe, who serves his second term as the Lok Sabha MP from the Shirur constituency in Pune district, is a prominent Marathi actor known for his roles as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in television series. He is regarded as a notable OBC figure within the NCP-SP and is celebrated for his eloquence and political engagement.

Leaders from the NCP-SP faction have consistently mentioned conversations involving the late Ajit Pawar concerning a potential merger. Nevertheless, senior officials from the NCP, including Working President Praful Patel and State President Sunil Tatkare, have opted not to comment on the situation.

Rohit Pawar's comments arrive at a time when Tatkare has reaffirmed the NCP's commitment to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and its intention to remain aligned with it.

Earlier this week, following a meeting led by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar with party legislators, the NCP leadership reportedly instructed members not to publicly discuss the merger or reunion topic, empowering her to make decisions regarding organizational matters.

NCP-SP Working President Supriya Sule also mentioned that revisiting past events holds no value, emphasizing that Ajit Pawar is no longer alive to clarify the discussions.