An NCP again? How Sharad Pawar’s next step can change Maharashtra politics. explainer news

Last updated:July 15, 2026, 08:03 IST

Reports of advanced merger talks, meetings between senior leaders and separate conversations with Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday night suggest that discussions are active behind the scenes.

The series of political meetings that continued till late night in Mumbai has once again heated up the politics of Maharashtra. On Tuesday night, leaders of both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis separately, rekindling speculation that the long-discussed reunion of the Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar camps may finally be completed, and the united NCP may finally join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Neither the Chief Minister’s Office nor the leaders involved disclosed what happened during the meetings. But amid merger speculation, internal unrest between the two factions and back-channel talks, the development has acquired far more political significance than a simple courtesy call.

This is why meetings matter.

First, what happened?

NCP (Sharad Pawar) Maharashtra president Jayant Patil first met Sharad Pawar at his Mumbai residence, Silver Oak, before leaving to meet Fadnavis in the evening. Around the same time, senior leaders of the Ajit Pawar-led ruling NCP, including Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, also met Fadnavis separately.

Although no official agenda was made public, the meetings took place against the backdrop of continued discussions on the future of the two NCP factions.

Why is everyone talking about merger?

The speculation did not start from Tuesday’s meetings.

Earlier this month, The New Indian Express reported that talks to reunite the two factions of the NCP have advanced well and the merger could happen before the combined party formally joins the NDA. The report said leaders from both parties are preparing the political ground after the recent local body election results.

In recent days, Jayant Patil’s meeting with senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde also led to heated political discussions, although neither side confirmed the formal talks.

Why would Sharad Pawar consider joining NDA?

For the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), the question is becoming one of political survival rather than ideology.

According to The Indian Express, many MLAs within the party believe that being in the opposition has made it difficult to get development funds, administrative clearances and political space in their constituencies. The newspaper quoted sources as saying that almost half of the party’s 10 MLAs are keen to join the ruling coalition.

If there remains uncertainty over the party’s future, the party will also have to face the threat of constant defection. However, Sharad Pawar himself has maintained public silence and has not announced any decision.

Crisis in Sunetra Pawar’s party!

The talk of reunification comes at a time when Ajit Pawar’s NCP is dealing with its organizational challenges.

Last week, internal differences came out into the open after party national secretary Sachchidanand Singh challenged the election of Sunetra Pawar as the party’s national president, alleging that the February 26 organizational elections violated the party’s constitution. The move also raised questions about the authority under which the election process was conducted.

The controversy comes after reports that positions of senior leaders like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare have either been omitted or wrongly described in the revised lists of office bearers submitted to the Election Commission. Although the party later blamed it on a typographical error, the development fueled speculation of unease within the organization.

Praful Patel has publicly rejected suggestions of a split, saying that Sachchidanand Singh’s letter “has no significance” and insisting that differences should be resolved internally in the interest of the party.

Why would BJP welcome such a step?

For the BJP, bringing together the two factions of the NCP under the NDA umbrella will help eliminate one of the biggest sources of political instability in Maharashtra.

It will also consolidate support in western Maharashtra, traditionally an NCP stronghold, reduce the chances of consolidation of anti-BJP votes, strengthen the ruling coalition ahead of the upcoming civic and local body elections, and allow the BJP to negotiate with a single NCP leadership rather than balancing rival factions.

At the same time, BJP has refrained from publicly confirming any talks. Fadnavis has repeatedly said that the decision on any merger has to be taken by both factions of NCP. Recently, the Chief Minister had dismissed speculations of the BJP trying to bring the NCP-SP into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), saying that neither the NDA at the Center nor the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra was looking to induct any new political party.

Terming talks of political defection as baseless, Fadnavis said, “Our doors are not open to new parties and we are working with our alliance partners who are part of the NDA in Maharashtra.”

Is the merger not straightforward?

Despite months of speculation, significant hurdles remain.

1. Leadership Questions: The biggest issue is who leads the united NCP. Sharad Pawar remains the biggest political figure of the party and has considerable influence among the party workers. Also, the ruling faction has been acting independently since the 2023 split and holds positions of power within the grand coalition government. Reconciling the two leadership structures will require careful political negotiations.

2. Distribution of Power: Cabinet positions, organizational positions, legislative leadership and control over the party machinery will all have to be renegotiated. These are hardly simple discussions in any political merger.

3. Internal Resistance: Not everyone in any group seems enthusiastic. Reports suggest that a section of the Sharad Pawar camp remains uneasy about forging an alliance with the BJP, while leaders of the ruling NCP have their own concerns over influence sharing if the factions reunite.

How did Maharashtra reach this stage?

The current political situation starts from July 2023, when Ajit Pawar split the undivided Nationalist Congress Party and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra.

The Election Commission later recognized Ajit Pawar’s faction as the official NCP, while Sharad Pawar formed the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), leaving Maharashtra with two rival parties claiming the same political heritage.

Since then, rumors of a reconciliation have surfaced from time to time, but none have materialized.

As of now, there is no official confirmation of the merger or entry into the NDA. However, reports of advanced merger talks, meetings between senior leaders of different political parties and a sequence of events, including separate talks with Fadnavis on Tuesday night, suggest that discussions remain active behind the scenes.

Whether these talks will result in a united NCP again or remain just another chapter in Maharashtra’s long history of political intrigue will largely depend on one man: Sharad Pawar. As often happens in Maharashtra politics, the veteran leader has kept everyone guessing.

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