Mumbai, Feb 14 (NationPress) The Maharashtra president of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shashikant Shinde, declared that the merger discussions are now a completed chapter for the party since Ajit Pawar, who was at the forefront of these negotiations, is no longer with us.

“The merger decision was made while Ajit Dada was alive. Various members from his faction are commenting on this matter. However, we have decided to close this chapter. There is a narrative suggesting that we are eager for this merger, but we have shown neither urgency nor desperation. The discussions gained traction only after Ajit Dada passed away. Since then, our words have been honest, and we have spoken with conviction. We haven’t revisited this topic. We only stated that fulfilling Ajit Dada’s wish was important to us. But now, we’ve chosen to refrain from further comments,” stated Shinde.

He added, “Those who have opposed the merger discussions should be scrutinized. We have merely voiced our sentiments; many have shared their feelings. A definitive decision was intended to follow the local body elections, and the merger framework was to be determined through dialogue. However, since the leader steering those discussions is no longer present, there’s no value in speculating about hypotheticals. We prefer not to comment further,” Shinde announced.

He pointed out that discussions regarding the unification of the factions had already begun while Ajit Dada was still alive. While several from that faction are speaking out now, he emphasized that they have closed the chapter.

When questioned about whether senior leaders like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare from Ajit Pawar's faction opposed the merger, Shinde opted to remain silent, saying, “I won’t comment on that; they should express their own views. We are concentrating on revitalizing the party. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on their stance.”

Shinde adopted a conciliatory tone regarding past discord, stating, “If I suggested Ajit Dada made an error, I retract that statement. Ajit Dada aimed to mend the rift within the party. He was emotional. Even during talks with Sharad Pawar Saheb, he struggled to maintain eye contact. The final decision was meant to follow the Zilla Parishad election results. It’s not appropriate to speculate about his or my feelings now that he’s gone.”

He stressed that the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is now entirely focused on enhancing the party structure and moving beyond the merger discussions, as the primary mediator of those conversations is no longer available.

Shinde’s comments followed his assertion in the party magazine that the late Ajit Pawar had been compelled to leave the original NCP due to threats and schemes orchestrated by “unseen forces.”

He also mentioned that a final decision to merge the two parties was reached on February 12 in the presence of Sharad Pawar.

In a significant revelation, Shinde claimed that Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders had agreed to hand over total control of the unified party to Ajit Pawar post-merger.

“Completing this merger and fortifying the party would be the only fitting tribute to Ajit Dada,” he stated.

However, Shinde’s statements were contested by the state NCP (Ajit Pawar) chief Sunil Tatkare, who labeled Shinde’s remarks as irrelevant and factually incorrect.

Tatkare issued a stern warning, asserting, “If Shinde persists in claiming that Ajit Dada’s decisions were influenced by allegations or pressure, I will respond appropriately as Party President.”

Tatkare dismissed Shinde’s assertion that Ajit Pawar viewed his exit as a “mistake” and was working to amend it in recent months. He clarified that any proposal or discussion regarding a merger must be handled within the party's Core Group.

Tatkare emphasized that making assertions about private discussions after Ajit Pawar’s tragic passing is an injustice to the late leader. He insisted that maintaining decorum about “what to say and when to say it” is crucial.