NCP Leaders Meet Devendra Fadnavis Amid Speculation of 22 MLAs Breaking Away

Mumbai: The stir regarding the future of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has intensified in Maharashtra politics. Amid speculations of separation of 20 to 22 MLAs from the party, NCP state president and MP Sunil Tatkare and senior leader Dhananjay Munde met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. This meeting, which took place on Wednesday at the Chief Minister's residence Varsha in Mumbai, has given further fuel to the political discussions. The special thing is that this meeting has taken place at a time when the possibility of reunification of the two factions of NCP led by Sharad Pawar and Sunetra Pawar is being discussed.

However, both the leaders have given different reasons for the meeting and there has been no official confirmation linking it directly to the merger talks.

Was the meeting limited to Diwali wishes?

Sunil Tatkare described the meeting with the Chief Minister as a courtesy call on the occasion of Diwali. While sharing the information about the meeting on social media, he also wished the chief minister a happy Diwali. At the same time, Dhananjay Munde said that he has put forward the serious situation of drought in Marathwada and the problems of the farmers before the Chief Minister. He urged providing maximum financial assistance to the farmers.

According to Munde, the Chief Minister showed a positive attitude to this demand and assured all possible help. However, due to the meeting of the two leaders with the Chief Minister on the same day and the ongoing political turmoil within the party, political implications are being drawn from it.

Are preparations underway for the merger of the two groups?

The discussion about the unification of the two factions of NCP has been increasing continuously for the last few days. This development got further strength when several leaders including senior NCP leaders Praful Patel and Parth Pawar met Sharad Pawar. After this, Sunil Tatkare also reached the Pawar family residence in Baramati, where he talked to Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and Parth Pawar. These meetings are being seen as an attempt to reach a possible political compromise between the two factions of the party. Tatkare has already indicated that if Ajit Pawar was alive, the merger of the two factions could have taken formal shape on February 12.

Why is NCP raising the demand to withdraw the Finance Ministry?

Along with the merger, the issue of Finance Ministry in Maharashtra government also remains important for NCP. This department was earlier with late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. After the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28, the Finance Ministry is with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. NCP now wants this department back with itself. The party argues that Ajit Pawar used to handle the Finance Ministry in the grand alliance government and even after that, NCP should get this department. Senior leaders of the party have already met Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding this demand. In such a situation, the meeting of Tatkare and Munde with the Chief Minister is being considered important in the context of this demand. However, there has been no confirmation of any formal discussion regarding the Finance Ministry in Wednesday's meeting. 

How will merger be possible without BJP's consent?

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had made it clear on November 10 regarding the merger of the two factions of NCP that it would be necessary to take the BJP into confidence in this regard. He had said that if Sharad Pawar and Sunetra Pawar decide to merge, then they will have to inform BJP about it, because this process cannot be completed without talks with BJP. According to Fadnavis, till now neither of them has given any proposal to BJP in this regard. Actually, Sharad Pawar-led NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is part of the opposition alliance, while Sunetra Pawar-led NCP is in power with the BJP in the Mahayuti government of Maharashtra. In such a situation, the merger of the two groups will be important not only in terms of organisational but also political alliance.

Who claimed that 20 to 22 MLAs left the party?

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has made a big claim regarding the possible split in NCP. He says that 20 to 22 MLAs of Sunetra Pawar led NCP can leave the party any time. According to Raut, the meetings of these MLAs with Sharad Pawar are not just formal, but there are political reasons behind them. He expressed the possibility that the MLA may return to Sharad Pawar's camp or join some other party before the upcoming elections. Raut also said that if the MLAs return to their old political home i.e. Sharad Pawar's faction then it cannot be called a merger. However, his claim of MLAs leaving the party has not been confirmed by the NCP. 

What hints did Sunetra Pawar give on merger?

Amidst the increasing discussions regarding merger, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has also reacted. He said that when the right time comes, everyone will get information about the developments. However, he refrained from saying anything in detail on this issue. At present, a round of meetings is going on between the two factions of NCP.

On one hand, senior party leaders are in touch with Sharad Pawar, while on the other hand, there are possibilities of talks with the BJP leadership. In such a situation, it will become clear in the coming days whether both the factions of NCP come together or another political division is created within the party.