NCP merger: Fadnavis says factions free to decide, must consult NDA first
Synopsis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has broken his silence on NCP merger speculation — but only just. His message: both factions can decide freely, but the NDA must be consulted first. Meanwhile, Sunil Tatkare's claim that a merger was locked in for February 12 before Ajit Pawar's death has upended the narrative, and Rohit Pawar's pushback suggests the Sharad Pawar camp isn't ready to play along.
Key Takeaways
CM Devendra Fadnavis said on 7 November that the two NCP factions are free to decide on a merger but must consult NDA partners beforehand.
Sunil Tatkare claimed merger talks were active when Ajit Pawar was alive and a merger had been scheduled for February 12 .
Ajit Pawar died in an accident on 28 January , reportedly halting the merger process.
Praful Patel 's hospital visit to Sharad Pawar on Thursday triggered fresh merger speculation.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar questioned the timing, suggesting political pressure and internal friction are driving the sudden revival of merger talk.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday, 7 November weighed in on the swirling speculation around a potential merger between the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions, saying both are independent entities entitled to make their own decisions — but must keep the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the loop before taking any such step.
What Fadnavis Said
Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, the Chief Minister was measured but pointed in his response. Fadnavis said the two factions — the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) — have senior leadership capable of charting their own course, and it would be inappropriate for him to speak on their behalf.
'At the end of the day, they are two independent parties and will collectively make their decisions. They have senior leaders like Sharad Pawar saheb in their party, along with Sunetra Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and Parth Pawar. Therefore, I believe it would not be appropriate for us to comment or make a decision on their behalf. They will take their own decisions,' he said.
He added a clear condition: any decision taken by the factions must involve consulting the NDA alliance partners. 'It is not appropriate for us to react on this matter today, as they have not consulted us about it yet. If discussions are underway from their side, they will let us know, and we will respond accordingly,' Fadnavis said.
What Triggered the Speculation
The merger rumours gained fresh momentum after NCP leader Praful Patel visited NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) President Sharad Pawar at hospital on Thursday. Shortly after, Sunil Tatkare made a disclosure that added significant fuel to the speculation, claiming that merger discussions had been actively underway when the late Ajit Pawar was alive.
Tatkare said on Friday: 'Discussions about the merger definitely took place when Ajit Dada was alive. He had also outlined how the merger would happen. If Ajit Dada were here, the merger would have happened on February 12th. This would have been made possible through Ajit Dada's fierce willpower. I was a close associate of Ajit Dada, which is why I am aware of this matter.' Ajit Pawar passed away in an accident on 28 January, derailing those plans, Tatkare added.
Rohit Pawar Pushes Back
NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar took a sharply sceptical view of the sudden revival of merger talk. He questioned why senior leaders such as Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare are raising the merger issue now, when they had denied any such possibility immediately after Ajit Pawar's death.
Rohit Pawar acknowledged that merger discussions did occur when Ajit Pawar was alive, but argued that his push for reunification was driven primarily by personal and family sentiment — a desire to keep Sharad Pawar, at his age, and the broader Pawar family together. He suggested the current enthusiasm from the Ajit Pawar faction's leadership is more likely a product of political pressure and internal friction — including disputes over leadership — than any genuine ideological convergence.
The Bigger Political Picture
The NCP split, formalised in 2023 when Ajit Pawar broke away and joined the BJP-led NDA government in Maharashtra, has remained one of the most contentious political ruptures in the state. A merger, if it were to materialise, would have significant implications for the balance of power within the Mahayuti alliance and could reshape Maharashtra's political arithmetic ahead of future electoral contests. Notably, Fadnavis's response — calm but conditional — signals that the BJP is watching developments closely without wanting to be seen as orchestrating them.
Whether the merger talk translates into concrete action will depend on how the two factions navigate internal dissent, alliance obligations, and the legacy of Ajit Pawar's unfinished political project.
Point of View
But the condition that the NDA must be consulted first is a quiet assertion of alliance hierarchy. The more revealing development is Tatkare's disclosure: if a merger was genuinely scheduled for February 12, it means the split was always understood as temporary by at least some key players. Rohit Pawar's scepticism, however, points to a real fault line — the Sharad Pawar camp may not share that reading, and any merger attempted under political duress rather than genuine reconciliation risks fracturing further down the line.
NationPress
7 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did CM Devendra Fadnavis say about the NCP merger?
Fadnavis said both NCP factions are independent parties free to make their own decisions, but they must consult NDA partners before taking any step toward a merger. He said it would be inappropriate for him to comment or decide on their behalf.
Why has NCP merger speculation resurfaced?
The speculation intensified after NCP leader Praful Patel visited Sharad Pawar at hospital on Thursday, followed by Sunil Tatkare's claim that a merger had been planned for February 12 before Ajit Pawar's death on 28 January derailed it.
What did Sunil Tatkare reveal about the merger plans?
Tatkare said merger discussions were actively underway when Ajit Pawar was alive and that the merger was scheduled for February 12. He attributed the collapse of those plans to Ajit Pawar's death in an accident on 28 January.
How has the Sharad Pawar faction responded to the merger talk?
NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar pushed back sharply, questioning why senior leaders like Patel and Tatkare are raising the issue now after denying it post Ajit Pawar's death. He argued the push is driven by political pressure and internal party friction rather than genuine intent.
What would an NCP merger mean for Maharashtra politics?
A merger between the two NCP factions would significantly alter the political balance within the Mahayuti alliance and reshape Maharashtra's electoral arithmetic. It would also need to pass muster with NDA partners, as Fadnavis's remarks make clear.
