New Delhi, Feb 13 (NationPress) The President of Maharashtra NCP (Ajit Pawar), Sunil Tatkare, on Friday, expressed his disapproval of the statements made by Shashikant Shinde, the state chief of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, regarding the late former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Shinde's assertion that Ajit Pawar departed from the party due to "invisible powers" or "threats" was characterized by Tatkare as unfounded.

He described Shinde's article published in the party magazine as "irrelevant" and "factually incorrect".

Tatkare firmly stated, "If Shinde persists in claiming that Ajit Dada's decisions were influenced by allegations or pressure, I will respond appropriately in my role as the Party President."

He rejected Shinde's assertion that Ajit Pawar viewed his exit as a "mistake" and was attempting to amend it in recent months.

Tatkare clarified that discussions on any potential merger between NCP and NCP-SP must occur within the party's core group.

He deemed it unjust to speculate on private conversations following Ajit Pawar's tragic passing.

Tatkare highlighted the necessity for all members to maintain decorum regarding their public statements.

He conveyed his displeasure regarding the timing and purpose of Shinde's article titled "A Heartfelt Farewell to Ajit Dada".

Tatkare questioned Shinde's intentions, wondering if the article was aimed at pursuing a hidden political agenda after the unfortunate accident.

Contrary to Shinde's claims of coercion, Tatkare affirmed that Ajit Pawar's alignment with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was a well-considered, long-term political decision.

"Ajit Pawar has been advocating for an alliance with the BJP since 2014, 2016, and 2017. In 2019, he unequivocally stated that a BJP-NCP coalition could yield a stable government, never concealing his willingness to collaborate with the BJP," he noted.

Concerning the proposed merger date of February 12 between the NCP and NCP-SP, Tatkare questioned whether the timing of the magazine's release was coincidental or intentional.

While the article aimed to honor the late NCP President post-accident, Tatkare reiterated his strong objections regarding the portrayal of Ajit Pawar's political motives.

Tatkare previously confirmed that NCP (Ajit Pawar) is a component of the NDA and will continue to be so.

When asked about the party's position on a potential merger, Tatkare replied, "What is there to clarify about our party's stance? We are part of the NDA. During Dada's (Ajit Pawar) lifetime, I consistently reiterated our position — that we collectively decided to join the NDA under his leadership. That decision remains unchanged and will endure in the future. Hence, someone else should clarify their intentions regarding joining the NDA."

He reaffirmed Ajit Pawar's longstanding preference for governance with the BJP since 2014/2019 and the party's commitment to the NDA.

"Regarding a merger or anything else... Vahini (Sunetra Pawar) has taken on the role of Deputy Chief Minister. Our party's decision was unanimously reached by all Legislative members. Senior leaders, including Praful Patel, myself as State NCP President, Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, and all our senior colleagues in the Cabinet, jointly decided that she (Sunetra Pawar) should lead the Legislative Party. We made our selection accordingly," Tatkare concluded.