Days before Maharashtra’s civic body elections, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has signalled a possible reunification of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), saying workers on both sides are keen to come together and that differences within the Pawar family have been resolved.
Speaking to NDTV, Ajit Pawar said party workers from both factions, the one led by him and the other by his uncle Sharad Pawar, want unity. “The workers of both parties want to unite. The two NCPs are together now. All tensions in our family have ended,” he said.
The remarks come nearly two years after the NCP split in 2023, when Ajit Pawar broke away with several senior leaders, joined the NDA government in Maharashtra, and became deputy chief minister, triggering a major political realignment in the state.
Earlier, Ajit Pawar had also indicated that the rival factions could permanently reunite after the ongoing municipal elections, stressing that politics has no “permanent enemies”. He said both factions are contesting together in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, a move that has been welcomed by party workers.
While no formal announcement has been made, Ajit Pawar’s comments have fuelled speculation about a broader reconciliation within the NCP after the civic polls.
