Delhi Meetings Fuel Internal NCP Friction
A high-stakes visit to New Delhi by senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders has ignited intense speculation regarding the party’s internal stability and its future within the Mahayuti alliance. While the official narrative from party spokespeople suggests a routine coordination meeting, the notable absence of party president Sunetra Pawar and her son, MP Parth Pawar, from the delegation has drawn significant attention from political observers and coalition partners alike.
The delegation, which included national working president Praful Patel, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare, and senior ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Dilip Walse Patil, and Dhananjay Munde, met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday. According to reports from The Indian Express, the meeting served as a forum for senior leaders to air grievances regarding the current trajectory of the party. The core of the dissatisfaction appears to stem from the leadership style of Sunetra Pawar and the perceived influence of her son, Parth, in bypassing established party veterans when making critical decisions.
The Echoes of a Failed Merger
The timing of the meeting has inevitably revived rumors of a potential merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party. Following the death of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash last January, the political landscape for the NCP underwent a seismic shift. NDTV reports that while the idea of reunifying the factions to consolidate the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was previously discussed—with expectations of an announcement as early as February 12—those conversations largely stalled following Ajit Pawar’s passing.
Despite the current buzz, leadership across both sides of the divide has been quick to temper expectations. Sunil Tatkare, speaking to reporters in Mumbai, explicitly dismissed the merger talk, stating, “The curtains have drawn on the merger issue. Even seniors of the other NCP faction have said so.” His comments were corroborated by reports from The Times of India, which noted that while the BJP remains concerned about organizational discord potentially benefiting the opposition, there is no formal movement toward reunification at this time.
Internal Friction Follows Loss of Aurangabad Seat
The internal strain became apparent following the NCP’s recent loss in the Aurangabad Graduates’ seat, a constituency the party had held for 18 years. This electoral setback provided a focal point for discontented members who feel that the current leadership, under Sunetra Pawar, has allowed Parth Pawar to exert disproportionate control. The Times of India reports that senior leaders, while careful not to openly criticize Sunetra Pawar, expressed frustration that she has consistently allowed her son to “ride roughshod” over the party’s traditional decision-making structures.
In response to the growing narrative of a leadership crisis, NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil has taken a firm stance. As detailed by Pragativadi and Bhaskar English, Patil characterized the reports of internal division as an attempt by “unseen forces” to create an artificial narrative. He insisted that Sunetra Pawar had been fully briefed on the delegation’s trip to Delhi and had, in fact, authorized the meeting with the Union Home Minister to address specific constituency issues and coalition coordination.
Following their return to Mumbai, the senior leaders gathered at the residence of Chhagan Bhujbal before attending a core committee meeting at Sunetra Pawar’s official residence, Devgiri. The upcoming days are being viewed by observers as a critical test of whether the party can maintain a unified front. With the finance portfolio—previously held by the late Ajit Pawar—still a subject of internal debate, the party must decide how to distribute influence among its senior ministers to stave off further fragmentation.
Ultimately, the question of whether the NCP can move past this period of organizational friction remains unanswered. While the official party line emphasizes unity under Sunetra Pawar, the quiet, closed-door meetings held without her presence suggest that the process of reconciling the old guard with the new leadership is far from complete. As the Mahayuti alliance looks toward future electoral challenges, the ability of these senior leaders to resolve their differences will likely determine the party’s relevance in the shifting political geography of western Maharashtra.
