With Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar joining the Maharashtra government, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has taken steps to assert control over its organisation. However, uncertainty over who will ultimately exercise authority within the party continues to add to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) challenges in the ruling coalition.
In the absence of a leader who gets acceptance across the Sharad Pawar Ajit Pawar combine at the grassroots level, BJP leaders admit that managing coalition politics may become more difficult. The task is complicated by the NCP’s strong Maratha support base, particularly after the death of Ajit Pawar, who was seen as a key mobilizer of that electorate.
NCP SP president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday publicly expressed his displeasure over the BJP leaders. Devendra Fadnavis questioning the proposed merger between the two factions of the NCP. His comments were seen as a clear signal to party workers.
Officially, Pawar said, “I am happy that Sunetra Pawar has taken oath as DyCM in the government. On the issue of merger, talks were going on between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil. What right does Devendra Fadnavis have to question the merger when he was not involved?” He added: “Right now the focus is on family ties. There have been no conversations about politics.”
Meanwhile, BJP strategists acknowledged internal challenges but maintained their support for Ajit Pawar’s faction. “NCP versus NCP SP will be played out on multiple fronts. But our concern is to firmly back the NCP, which has pledged support to the NDA. We are committed to Ajit Pawar’s family and his NCP faction,” a party functionary said.
At the same time, senior leaders admitted that there is no clear roadmap. “There are no definitive solutions as we don’t know how things will evolve in the future. From what we understand, Sunetra Pawar, along with the NCP, will be able to keep the organization intact and consolidate itself as it is in power,” a minister said, adding that with three and a half years left for elections, sitting MPs are unlikely to explore alternatives, including the Sharad Pawar-led NCP SP.
Rajendra Kondhare, president of Akhil Bharatiya Maratha Mahasangh, said sections of the Maratha community were restless. “A sizeable Maratha community, especially those connected with institutional and cooperative networks, have always looked to Sharad Pawar as their leader for support and guidance. It was the same base that also followed Ajit Pawar. Now, some agitation is inevitable in this segment. We will have to see how it manifests with Sunetra Pawar entering the government,” he said.
Story continues below this ad.
He added, “Achieving leadership and stature like Ajit Pawar requires 20-25 years. His death has created a void for the community.”
An NCP minister who served during Sharad Pawar’s government noted that ideological continuity had kept the party’s support base intact despite the split. “Those who do not subscribe to right-wing politics have always found a credible alternative in the NCP S. Despite the division in the party, we share a common ideology and electoral base,” he said, adding that the cadres did not distinguish between senior and junior Pawar.
“Now, with the death of Ajit Pawar, they naturally see Sharad Pawar as their godfather. Therefore, sooner rather than later, both factions will have to take some concrete decision to address the unrest within the cadre,” he said while expressing confidence that a solution would eventually emerge.
The BJP’s core electoral base has traditionally been among the Other Backward Classes OBCs. His victory in the 2024 Assembly was partly driven by the consolidation of the OBC amid sharp polarization over Maratha reservation demands. By bringing in leaders like Shiv Sena Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the BJP projected strong Maratha representation within the Mahayuti alliance.
Story continues below this ad.
However, the party has struggled to project an internal Maratha leader capable of matching the influence of the Pawar family. His strategy of bringing in prominent Maratha leaders from other parties, including Ashok Chavan, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Narayan Rane, did yield electoral benefits.
“In a three-party coalition government with inherent frictions, the BJP always pitted Ajit Pawar against Eknath Shinde. It gave them an upper hand in controlling the government and politics in the state,” said a political observer. He added: “With Ajit Pawar in the government, the combine could easily address the Maratha backlash. The NCP ensured that it did not get out of control.”