NCP merger talk a BJP ploy to weaken Maharashtra, says Shiv Sena-UBT in Samaana
Synopsis
Shiv Sena-UBT's party mouthpiece Samaana has fired a pointed warning at both NCP factions, branding the merger buzz a BJP-orchestrated distraction designed to fracture Maharashtra's opposition. The editorial names Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Praful Patel, and Chhagan Bhujbal as pieces in a chess match that, it argues, ends in 'political suicide' for anyone who plays along.
Key Takeaways
Shiv Sena (UBT) called the NCP merger speculation a BJP ploy to destabilise Maharashtra through back-channel manoeuvres, in a Samaana editorial dated 14 November .
The editorial named Sharad Pawar , Supriya Sule , Jayant Patil , and Shashikant Shinde on one side, and Praful Patel , Sunil Tatkare , and Chhagan Bhujbal on the other, as central players in the merger game.
Shiv Sena-UBT warned that 'playing the game of merger is a sign of political suicide' and urged Sharad Pawar 's faction not to be swayed by leaders seeking ministerial positions.
The editorial attributed renewed merger talk to internal discomfort in the rival NCP faction following leadership shifts involving Parth Pawar .
Samaana alleged that a section of media and political brokers were actively trying to engineer the merger, warning NCP-SP leaders it would only benefit the BJP .
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Saturday, 14 November sharply attacked the swirling speculation over a possible reunion of the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions, calling it a deliberate Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ploy to destabilise Maharashtra through back-channel political manoeuvring. The broadside came through an editorial in the party's mouthpiece, Samaana.
What Samaana Said
The editorial described the merger talk as a 'complex political chess match' driven by compulsion on one side and ambition on the other. 'The merger experiment is not a simple game; it is a complex political chess match. Many are playing this game out of compulsion, while others are playing out of ambition,' the editorial stated. It named prominent figures on both sides of the NCP divide — Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, Rohit Pawar, and Shashikant Shinde on one end, and Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel, and Chhagan Bhujbal on the other — as the central players giving birth to the new political buzzword 'Merger'.
The BJP Angle
Shiv Sena-UBT accused the BJP of engineering the merger narrative to sow confusion and weaken the opposition's political footing in the state. The editorial warned that the move was 'not in the interest of Maharashtra' and cautioned senior NCP leaders not to be drawn into what it characterised as a theatre of political illusion. 'Through this game, a theatre of confusion is being played out. Both sides show they are walking together, yet look at each other with suspicion,' the editorial noted, adding that since the game had no clear outcome, even the audience — the public — remained unsure when the final act would arrive.
Discomfort Within the Rival NCP Faction
The editorial pointed to a growing unease among senior leaders of the rival NCP faction — particularly Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare — following leadership shifts involving Parth Pawar. According to Samaana, this internal discomfort is reportedly the real engine behind the renewed merger buzz, rather than any genuine ideological convergence between the two factions.
Warning to Sharad Pawar's Camp
Shiv Sena-UBT directed its sharpest caution at Sharad Pawar and his faction, urging them not to compromise decades of ideological positioning merely to accommodate a section of leaders eager for ministerial berths. The editorial declared that 'playing the game of merger is a sign of political suicide,' and alleged that a section of media and political brokers had taken it upon themselves to engineer a merger. It warned that NCP (Sharad Pawar) leaders who entered this game would only 'play into the BJP's hands and ruin their own political footing.'
What This Signals
The Samaana editorial reflects the Maha Vikas Aghadi's anxiety about opposition consolidation being disrupted ahead of future electoral contests in Maharashtra. This is not the first time merger rumours have surfaced around the two NCP factions since their split; critics argue that each such wave of speculation tests the resolve of leaders still straddling both camps. How Sharad Pawar and his senior colleagues respond to this latest round of pressure will likely shape the opposition's cohesion in the months ahead.
Point of View
Itself a product of a party split, is now lecturing others on the perils of political realignment. Whether Sharad Pawar heeds the warning or charts his own course will be the real test of opposition unity in Maharashtra going forward.
NationPress
14 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Shiv Sena-UBT call the NCP merger talk a BJP ploy?
Shiv Sena (UBT) argued in its Samaana editorial that the BJP is deliberately engineering merger speculation to destabilise Maharashtra's opposition through back-channel manoeuvres, and that the move does not serve the state's interest. The party warned that NCP leaders entering this game would only strengthen the BJP's position.
Which leaders were named in the Samaana editorial on the NCP merger?
The editorial named Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, Rohit Pawar, and Shashikant Shinde from one NCP faction, and Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel, and Chhagan Bhujbal from the rival faction as the key players in the merger speculation.
What did Samaana say about the consequences of an NCP merger?
Samaana declared that 'playing the game of merger is a sign of political suicide,' cautioning Sharad Pawar's faction against compromising its ideological stance to satisfy leaders seeking ministerial berths. It warned that joining the merger game would play into the BJP's hands.
What triggered the latest round of NCP merger speculation, according to Shiv Sena-UBT?
According to the Samaana editorial, the renewed merger buzz stems from growing unease among senior leaders of the rival NCP faction — particularly Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare — following leadership shifts involving Parth Pawar. The editorial suggested this internal discomfort, not genuine ideological alignment, is driving the chatter.
What is Samaana and why does its editorial matter?
Samaana is the official party mouthpiece of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and has historically been used to articulate the party's sharpest political positions. An editorial in Samaana is considered a direct expression of the party leadership's stance, making it a significant political signal rather than routine commentary.
