NCP reunion on cards? Ajit Pawar signals merger with Sharad Pawar faction

In a significant political development ahead of Maharashtra’s civic elections, Ajit Pawar dropped a strong hint that his Nationalist Congress Party faction could eventually reunite with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

As per a NDTV report, Ajit Pawar said any formal decision on merging the two rival camps will be considered after the Jan. 15 municipal polls, underscoring the need to prioritise election strategy before addressing long-term party unity.

Commenting on the same, Supriya Sule said the current alliance has been formed only for the Pune Municipal Corporation elections. She added that any decision on a broader political move will be considered in the future.

The remarks follow a rare show of cooperation between the factions, including the joint release of an election manifesto and shared campaigning, with Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule appearing together — a first since their split in 2023.

Ajit Pawar emphasised that most workers from both sides want unity and that family tensions have eased, fuelling speculation of a broader reconciliation. Party leaders, however, caution that a full merger would require collective leadership approval.

The NCP split in July 2023 when Ajit Pawar broke from his uncle Sharad Pawar’s party, later gaining legal control of the party name and symbol. With civic polls acting as the immediate focus, political analysts say the merger chatter could reshuffle Maharashtra’s political landscape later in 2026.