Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 12 (ANI): Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Patil on Thursday denied making any statement regarding a possible merger or support, saying he was unaware of reports being circulated in his name.
In a post on X, Patil wrote, “Hello, I have not made any statement about a merger or support. I am not aware of the news being circulated in my name. There has been no discussion with the party leadership on this yet.”
नमस्ते, विलिनीकरण अथवा पाठिंबा याबाबत कोणतेही वक्तव्य मी केलेले नाही. माझ्या नावाने येणाऱ्या बातम्यांबाबत मला कल्पना नाही. अद्याप पक्ष नेतृत्वाशी याबाबत कोणतीही चर्चा झालेली नाही. - रोहित आर पाटील. #rrpatil #wewillrise
— Rohit R.R. Patil (@rohitrrpatilncp) November 12, 2026
His clarification comes amid ongoing speculation about a possible reconciliation or merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Following a major political rift, the party divided into two factions: one led by veteran leader Sharad Pawar—which forms a key component of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra and the national opposition INDIA bloc—and the other led by his nephew Ajit Pawar, who broke away to join the ruling Maha Yuti alliance alongside the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Persistent rumours of secret talks and a potential merger or reunification of the two factions have repeatedly unsettled opposition partners within the MVA.
Sharad Pawar and leaders of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction have repeatedly maintained that their ideological stance remains firmly opposed to the BJP-led NDA, dismissing rumours of a merger that would require aligning with the ruling coalition.
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP remains an integral part of Maharashtra’s ruling government, making any immediate structural alignment with the MVA or INDIA bloc legally and politically complex without a complete departure from the state cabinet.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, State President of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, Sunil Tatkare, said that any decision regarding a possible merger of the two NCP factions would be taken by National President Sunetra Pawar and Sharad Pawar.
Tatkare said he was not aware of any ongoing discussions regarding a merger and maintained that the matter was not currently before him.
"If there is any issue of merger, our National President Sunetra Pawar will take the decision. The decision will be taken by Sunetra Pawar and Sharad Pawar, who have been working for six decades," Tatkare said.
"I don't know whether or not a merger is being discussed. Since the issue of a merger is not before me, I will not comment on it," he added. (ANI)
