Mumbai, August 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) working president and MP Supriya Sule on Saturday ruled out any possibility of a merger between the two NCP factions or her party joining the ruling government, saying there was no such proposal under consideration.
Speaking to a Marathi news channel, Sule dismissed speculation about negotiations for power and maintained that her party was functioning strongly as an opposition force.
“The NCP is working with great strength, so the question of a merger does not arise at all. When there is no proposal in the first place, there is no question of joining the government,” she said.
Sule said earlier discussions on a possible merger had involved only four leaders — Ajit Pawar, herself, Jayant Patil and Amol Kolhe — and that Sharad Pawar was regularly apprised of developments.
Her remarks came as the party’s core committee met to discuss preparations for the upcoming local body elections and formulate a roadmap for the next state Assembly polls.
State president Shashikant Shinde, Jayant Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Harshvardhan Patil, Jitendra Awhad, Rajesh Tope, Amol Kolhe, Nilesh Lanke, Fauziya Khan, Rajendra Shingane and Ashok Pawar were among those who attended the meeting.
On Rohit Pawar’s absence from a meeting led by Sharad Pawar and reports of his proximity to the Congress, Sule said she would not offer him advice, stressing that the party followed internal democracy. She added that a degree of restlessness was natural at his age.
Sharad Pawar had days earlier also ruled out any merger or political alignment with the BJP, saying the NCP would continue to play the role of an opposition party.
Sule reiterated that she considered Sharad Pawar’s faction to be the only NCP.
“No one should be under the misconception that there are two or three NCPs. The NCP was Pawar Saheb’s yesterday, it is his today, and it will remain his tomorrow,” she said, alleging that the party name and symbol had been taken away improperly.
She said the matter remained pending before the court and asserted that the party should ultimately be returned to Sharad Pawar.
On succession, Sule said the decision rested entirely with Sharad Pawar. “He will decide who his successor will be. It could be anyone. That is his internal matter because the party has belonged to him since its inception,” she said.
Sule also criticised the Election Commission’s decision concerning the party name and symbol.
Praising Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for forming a separate party after differences arose, she contrasted his approach with the splits witnessed in Maharashtra politics.
She further alleged that the NCP and Shiv Sena cases had been handled differently from the Trinamool Congress case and pointed to delays in hearings concerning their parties.
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