NCP leader Sharad Pawar expressed happiness over Sunetra Pawar replacing her husband Ajit Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP from the state, was sworn in on
Saturday night. Ajit Pawar died last week in a plane crash.
Sharad Pawar denied any knowledge of a memorial for his nephew on the campus of Vidya Pratishtan, the educational institution founded by the Pawar family in Baramati.
Merger talk
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday morning, Sharad Pawar criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for speaking about a possible merger of the two NCP factions. He said merger talks were taking place between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil from his side and had nothing to do with Fadnavis or the BJP.
“… Fadnavis was not involved in the talks. What right did he have to talk about it?” Pawar said, adding that his focus was now on supporting his family during the tragedy. “As of now, there is no discussion about any political decisions…”
Fadnavis, however, dismissed talk of a merger, saying Ajit Pawar would have informed him and the BJP leadership if such talks had taken place.
Baramati, Maharashtra | NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar says, "I am happy that Sunetra Pawar is sworn in as Deputy CM....Merger discussions were held between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil. CM Fadnavis was not involved in the talks. What right did he have to talk about it?"pic.twitter.com/BR7IQ9qWIg
Baramati, Maharashtra | NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar says, "I am happy that Sunetra Pawar is sworn in as Deputy CM….Merger discussions were held between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil. CM Fadnavis was not involved in the talks. What right did he have to talk about it?" pic.twitter.com/BR7IQ9qWIg
— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2026
NCP split and reunion talks
The NCP split in 2023 after Ajit Pawar led MLAs into an alliance with the BJP. As per reports, Sunetra Pawar’s appointment was meant to counter talk of a merger, which Fadnavis said was “manufactured”.
Ajit Pawar, 66, died after his chartered Learjet crashed while trying to land at an airfield in Baramati. After his death, it emerged he had been planning a family reunion by bringing the divided NCP factions together.
The two factions had joined hands for municipal elections last month, which ended unsuccessfully after the BJP swept to victory. Sources told NDTV the reunion plan was still on and could be announced in the second week of February, with Sunetra Pawar seen as playing a crucial role.
Sharad Pawar on Rahul Gandhi’s Parliament Row
Sharad Pawar also spoke about the disruption in Parliament involving Rahul Gandhi reading excerpts from an unpublished book by former Army chief General MM Naravane related to the India-China border row in Ladakh in June 2020.
He said Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, should have been allowed to speak and that there should have been an opportunity to discuss the book, as it was written by a former Army Chief and indicated a matter of concern.
