4 minutes of readingBombayFebruary 5, 2026 07:24 pm IST
Amid meetings within the Pawar family in Baramati over the past two days, the Bharatiya Janata Party left the decision on the merger between NCP and NCP (SP) entirely to Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. The party has thus laid the ball on the contentious issue in the NCP court and thereby also reaffirmed the ability of newly appointed Dy CM Sunetra Pawar to resolve the complex issue.
The BJP’s decision to distance itself from the party’s internal issue between the two factions comes a day after NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar attacked the Chief Minister. Devendra Fadnavis for his comment: “If there had been talks about the merger, Ajit Pawar would have informed me. He shared all the progress with me.”
Sharad Pawar had said on Wednesday, “The CM has no right to talk about the merger. The talks took place between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil. How could he know?”
from the tragic death of Ajit Pawar In the Baramati plane crash, the BJP has been criticized by opposition parties for working together with the NCP to carry out a hasty Sunetra Pawar’s oath in government as DyCM.
While maintaining the merger was an internal matter of the NCP/NCP (SP), Shiv Sena (MP) Sanjay Raut said, “It is evident that the BJP was waiting for the meeting of two parties, which was also the last wish of Ajit Pawar.”
Navnath Ban, state BJP media cell in-charge, said, “The decision related to NCP/NCP(SP) merger has been completely left to the discretion of Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar.” It will not be decided by either Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis or the Union Home Minister. amit shahsaid.
The BJP’s political statement on the merger comes in the wake of a growing attack by the NCP (SP) and other opposition parties. A senior BJP leader, who is part of the central committee that takes the final decision on politics and policies, said, “Firstly, an issue as important as the merger of two political parties, the NCP and the NCP (SP), cannot be decided by the Maharashtra BJP alone.” Although the NCP is an alliance partner and has a direct impact on the Mahayuti coalition, ultimately Sunetra Pawar will have to take the final decision in consultation with his party leaders, he said.
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“The central role of the BJP comes once the NCP takes a decision and conveys it to us through a proposal. So far, we have not heard any such decision from the alliance partner, the NCP,” he added.
I thought that BJP is closely monitoring Considering the unfolding events in the NCP/NCP(SP), right-wing political leaders believe that the NCP(SP) is interested in the merger to maintain its political dominance over the party under the leadership of Pawar Senior. After the split, the late Ajit Pawar gained complete control of the organisation, as was evident in the 2024 Assembly elections when the NCP won 41 seats and the NCP (SP) 10.
Acknowledging that there are tentative talks on a merger from various quarters, a BJP leader said: “The central leadership’s response will depend on how and when Sunetra Pawar takes a final decision.”
A state BJP minister requesting anonymity said, “In any coalition, two is good, three is a crowd. Also, why should it open the doors to the fourth faction even if it emerges from a merger?” However, he warned, “if the NCP insists at some point and circumstances arise, a decision can be taken to bring in the NCP (SP) through a merger. The eight MPs from the NCP (SP) will increase the strength of the NDA.”