The Pawar Paradox: Sharad Pawar's 'Merger' Dilemma After Nephew Ajit Pawar's Tragic Death

The

sudden death of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar in a plane crash and the swearing-in of his wife Sunetra Pawar as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra have pushed one of the most influential political families of the state into an unfamiliar moment of uncertainty. While Sunetra Pawar's swearing-in seems a continuity decision, it happened without the knowledge of family patriarch Sharad Pawar, often regarded as a master strategist of Maharashtra politics. The episode comes at a sensitive moment, with both factions of the NCP having recently explored reunification following the civic elections.

A Swearing-In That Caught the Senior Pawar Off Guard

Sunetra Pawar on Saturday took oath as the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and was allotted excise, sports, minority development and Aukaf departments. The brief swearing-in ceremony at the Lok Bhavan in Mumbai took place three days after Ajit Pawar, NCP president and a deputy chief minister in the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP `Mahayuti' government, died in an air crash in Baramati on January 28.Sunetra Pawar was not allotted the finance and planning department, which her late husband Ajit Pawar held. The move indicates that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will hold the charge of the crucial portfolio and present the Budget next month.

During the swearing-in on Saturday, nobody from the party patriarch and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar's family were present and Sunetra Pawar was accompanied by her younger son Jay Pawar and his wife, and several other leaders of her party.

Merger Talks in Motion Before Ajit Pawar’s Death

Before Ajit Pawar’s death, discussions on unifying the two NCP factions had gathered momentum. Multiple meetings involving senior leaders from both sides were held, and the entire process of merger of the two factions was completed. Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that his late nephew Ajit Pawar had finalised February 12 to announce the “merger” between the NCP factions. "All discussions were held at their level, but it now appears the process may hit a roadblock following the accident," said the NCP (SP) chief.

Sharad Pawar’s Authority Tested?

The latest episode has brought into focus the limits of Sharad Pawar’s control over the NCP ecosystem. According to NCP (SP) Maharashtra president Shashikant Shinde, Sharad Pawar and other leaders had no prior knowledge about Sunetra Pawar's swearing-in as the state's Deputy Chief Minister. Sharad Pawar had also said that he was not consulted regarding Sunetra Pawar's elevation. "I am not aware of the swearing-in. I didn't even know that it was scheduled for today. There was no discussion with me about the swearing-in. Her party (NCP) may have made the decision," Sharad Pawar had said on Saturday.Shinde further raised questions on the timing of the move. “Ajit Pawar’s passing is a great loss to Maharashtra. When the state is in mourning, why this decision was taken is not known to us. They will have to explain it,” the leader told news agency PTI.

NCP Reunification on Backburner Now?

According to Shinde, in the three months before Ajit Pawar’s January 17 meeting with Sharad Pawar, eight to ten meetings had been held regarding the reunification of the two factions of the NCP. However, with Ajit Pawar's demise and NCP's decision to continue with the ruling alliance with Sunetra Pawar's oath, the merger seems to be on the back burner.

Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the process to merge the NCP (SP) and NCP may now face a roadblock due to the death of Ajit Pawar. Notably, Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) is a constituent of the Opposition grouping MVA.

Sharad Pawar's Dilemma

With Sunetra Pawar taking oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, it seems clear that the NCP will stay in CM Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government. It became more apparent with Sunetra Pawar replying to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message on X. Sunetra Pawar thanked PM Modi for his "trust." Seemingly, it is now left for Sharad Pawar to decide if he will enter the Mahayuti alliance of compromise on the merger with the outfit that defected from his own party.

When asked about the merger of two NCP factions, Union Minister and BJP leader Piyush Goyal said, "I personally do not see that will happen." Goyal said that the NCP leadership "was with Ajit Pawar and now with Sunetra Pawar Ji". "I don't see Mr Sharad Pawar being invited to join the NCP, given that he has lost the people's trust and the vote," he said. He added that Praful Patel has been appointed as the national president of the Nationalist Congress Party.