NCP condemns article on Ajit Pawar; NCP (SP) leader says merger issue 'closed' by party
Mumbai (PTI): NCP and NCP (SP) leaders on Saturday sharpened their attacks on each other with regards to the merger process of the two factions as well as an article written on Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash on January 28.
While NCP leader Anand Paranjpe sought an apology for the article, claiming it maligned Pawar even after his death, the NCP (SP) state unit chief Shashikant Shinde, who incidentally wrote the article in party mouthpiece 'Rashtravadi', said the merger issue had been closed by the Sharad Pawar-led outfit.
The final decision on a merger was to take place after the local body polls and its framework was to be decided through discussions, Shinde told reporters.
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There is no point in discussing the possible merger of the two parties now as "there is no leader left to hold discussions" (post Ajit Pawar's death), Shinde added.
"The issue has been closed by the NCP (SP)," Shinde asserted.
Shinde said a perception was being created that his faction was aggressively pushing for a merger, which was not correct, and maintained that the party had now decided to focus on rebuilding itself.
Referring to his article, Shinde said he had not claimed that Ajit Pawar made a mistake. "I only said he wanted to rectify the division of the party," the NCP (SP) MLC clarified.
Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Anand Paranjpe condemned Shinde's article and sought an apology on behalf of the departed leader's kin.
The article contained "false and misleading" claims about the circumstances in which Ajit Pawar left the undivided NCP, he said.
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"Attempts are being made to malign his image even after his demise. An apology must be tendered to Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and her family members. Party workers will give a befitting reply to these allegations," Paranjpe said.
In a tribute published in the February 2026 edition of party magazine 'Rashtravadi', Shinde had claimed "manoeuvres by invisible forces, threats, and a web of false allegations" created a situation that compelled Ajit Pawar to step out of the parent organisation, leading to the split in the Sharad Pawar-founded party.
Rejecting claims Ajit Pawar left the party due to "conspiracies or pressure", Paranjpe said the former had consistently advocated an alliance with the BJP during internal discussions over the years.
Paranjpe criticised the timing of merger talks raised by NCP (SP) soon after Ajit Pawar's death calling it politically insensitive.
He reiterated that party leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare have already clarified that the issue of merger is not on the party agenda at present.
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The bitter exchange comes amid tensions between the two factions following Ajit Pawar's demise, with both sides taking differing positions on the issue of reunification and the legacy of the late leader.
Senior NCP leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal wondered what is the need to have a merger discussion on a daily basis.
"Sunetra Pawar is now the Deputy CM and will soon by the NCP national president. She will discuss the matter and take a call," he said.
Bhujbal slammed the daily speculation related to merger talks.
"When Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as deputy Cm, there was criticism about the haste. Why is there a haste in talking about the merger," Bhujbal questioned.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
