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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Hailstorm brings relief to Bengaluru from scorching summer
Bengaluru (PTI): Bringing much relief to the people battered by the scorching summer, heavy rains coupled with hailstorm lashed the city on Wednesday.
The thunderous downpour with stormy wind cooled the city, where the temperature had soared to 37 degree.
With the rains, the city, from being parched, witnessed waterlogging in just two hours.
There was waist-deep water in many areas in the city such as Richmond Town and Shanthinagar resembling a river.
The unexpected rain did not spare Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power, as water gushed inside the government offices from the lobby. The office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka was also flooded.
Since the downpour occurred in the evening, many office goers struggled to return home.
Uprooting of trees was reported in many parts of the city, including Malleswaram, Shanthinagar and Seshadripuram.
