Mumbai, Jan 31 (NationPress) Following the heartbreaking incident of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash, prominent NCP(SP) figure Jayant Patil stated on Saturday that the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party are on the brink of a formal merger.

Patil emphasized that the reunification is more than just a political maneuver; it embodies “Ajit Dada’s final wish” to eliminate the party's division while Sharad Pawar remains politically active.

Reiterating earlier remarks made by Sharad Pawar in Baramati, Patil confirmed that the merger is nearly finalized and is expected to be officially announced on February 12.

“On January 16, we decided to announce the merger post-Zilla Parishad elections, originally slated for February 8. However, due to my wedding commitment in Delhi, Ajit Dada assured us that we would choose the date. Thus, we chose February 12,” Patil explained.

He added, “Ajit Pawar had made it clear that he had briefed Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal, and other party leaders regarding the merger plans.”

“Ajit Pawar’s ultimate wish was to witness the amalgamation of both parties. Now, as Sunetra Pawar takes charge, fulfilling this wish may depend on her consideration of the sentiments of party MLAs,” he stated.

Patil disclosed that approximately 10 high-level meetings occurred over the past four months to deliberate on the merger. Notably, four of these discussions were held at Patil's residence, where Ajit Pawar conveyed his strong desire to reunite the party and its supporters.

“In recent weeks, we held frequent meetings. On January 16, we convened at my home to finalize election strategies. Our ultimate goal was to reintegrate the NCP family. Now, we must confront this new, challenging reality without him,” he remarked.

An integral part of the strategy involved contesting the forthcoming Zilla Parishad elections under a single, unified symbol—the Clock.

Patil indicated that Ajit Pawar aimed to assess the viability of a united front at the local level prior to the formal merger.

“Ajit Pawar often assured me that all his legislators stood by him regarding the merger decision. There would be no opposition to this decision,” he pointed out.

Patil expressed profound sorrow, stating that the unforeseen plane crash in Baramati has “interrupted” a process that was nearing completion.

“Had Ajit Dada been alive today, the political landscape of Maharashtra would have been drastically different by next week,” he lamented.

While Jayant Patil discusses reunification, the Ajit Pawar faction is progressing with its own administrative adjustments.

Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar's spouse, will assume the role of Deputy Chief Minister today to ensure the faction's stability within the Mahayuti government.

While Patil and other NCP(SP) leaders like Eknath Khadse and Anil Deshmukh have actively engaged in these discussions, the Ajit Pawar faction has maintained silence.

Senior leaders Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal have refused to provide comments on the merger, stating that their immediate focus is on addressing the leadership gap and supporting the Pawar family in their time of grief.