Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar on Monday rejected speculation about a possible merger between the two NCP factions, saying no such proposal had been discussed within his party. He alleged that the reports were being circulated to shape a particular political narrative.
Rohit Pawar made the remarks after meeting his grand uncle and NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar at the latter’s Mumbai residence. He said neither Sharad Pawar nor party working president Supriya Sule had spoken to him about a merger or an understanding with the BJP.
“If merger talks were underway, Supriya tai or Pawar Saheb would have spoken to me. There has been no discussion on merger in our party. The discussion is only in Ajit Dada's party and in the media,” he told reporters.
The Karjat-Jamkhed MLA also maintained that he continued to be a vocal critic of the BJP-led Maharashtra government.
Talk of a possible reunion between the two factions gathered momentum after leaders of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, including Praful Patel and Parth Pawar, met Sharad Pawar last week. The veteran politician had recently been hospitalised with a chest infection.
A video of Sharad Pawar and Patel discussing a possible meeting after November 10 also circulated on social media, adding to speculation about renewed political discussions.
The debate intensified after Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare said the two factions would have merged in February had Ajit Pawar been alive. Ajit Pawar, who led the NCP faction aligned with the BJP, died in an aircraft crash on January 28, 2026.
Rohit Pawar had earlier questioned what he described as contradictory statements from leaders on the proposed reunion. On November 7, he suggested that the renewed speculation could also be an attempt to put pressure on Sunetra Pawar, who now heads the NCP.
The NCP (SP) legislator also raised concerns about the investigation into the aircraft crash that killed Ajit Pawar. He alleged that the probe was not progressing in the right direction and questioned why those in power were not addressing the doubts surrounding the incident.
Rohit Pawar said he would make a detailed presentation in Mumbai on November 14 and 15, setting out the questions he has about the crash.
His remarks come amid continuing political debate over the circumstances surrounding the former deputy chief minister's death. The allegations raised by Rohit Pawar have not, by themselves, established any wrongdoing in the investigation.