“No Talks With Sunetra, Was Unaware of Oath Taking,” Says Sharad Pawar

New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar on Friday said there were no discussions with Sunetra Pawar regarding her possible oath taking as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and stated that he was not aware of any such ceremony being planned. Speaking in Baramati, Pawar described the developments as an internal matter of the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar and said it was their prerogative to decide their future course of action.
Sharad Pawar clarified that while he had no prior information about the oath taking, senior leaders such as Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare belonged to the same faction and were within their rights to take decisions for the party. He maintained that no communication had taken place with Sunetra Pawar on the issue and reiterated that he came to know of the developments only later.
During his interaction, Pawar also spoke at length about the long discussed possibility of reunification of the two NCP factions. He said the merger of the factions was a long standing wish of Ajit Pawar, who passed away in a plane crash earlier this week. According to Sharad Pawar, efforts to bring the party back together had been ongoing for several months and the discussions had progressed positively.
He stated that Ajit Pawar and senior leader Jayant Patil had been engaged in reunification talks for nearly four months and that Ajit Pawar was keen on announcing the merger on February 12. Sharad Pawar said both sides shared the desire to fulfil this wish and believed it would strengthen the party’s future.
The remarks have added weight to speculation that reunification efforts were gaining momentum before Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise. However, his passing has now introduced uncertainty around the timing and direction of any potential merger.
Amid this backdrop, there is growing political discussion around the deputy chief minister’s post. The ruling alliance is said to be weighing its options in light of the evolving situation within the NCP. Sharad Pawar did not comment on whether he or Supriya Sule would attend any oath taking ceremony, stating that clarity would emerge once the concerned faction finalises its decision.
The developments reflect a delicate phase in Maharashtra politics, marked by grief, leadership transitions, and unresolved questions about the future structure of the Nationalist Congress Party.