Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Sunetra Pawar on Wednesday declined to give a direct response on the speculation of a merger with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), saying that the matter will become clear in due course.
As she opened the forum for questions, a reporter posed a question regarding the NCP’s merger speculation. However, I would like to tell you that things will become clear with time.” Pawar was holding a press conference to announce programmes marking the 191st birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda on November 15, according to news agency PTI .
In response she said, “I know you people are more interested in the other issue (merger speculation).
The NCP chief’s remarks came days after senior party leaders met Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi. Sunetra and her son, MP Parth Pawar, were not part of the meeting. Because the merger cannot happen without us, “If they (Sharad Pawar and Sunetra Pawar) decide to merge (their parties), they will come and tell us,.
NCP leaders, including Parth, have also met NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, but maintained that they had only enquired about his health and “did not discuss anything political”. Neither of them has told us anything yet,” he said. Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said that only Sharad Pawar and Sunetra Pawar, who head the rival NCP factions, could clarify whether their parties would reunite.
