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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Hoskote accident: 'Joyride' set out secretly claims lives of six school students
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Bengaluru (PTI): What began as an early morning "joyride" in an SUV ended in tragedy, claiming the lives of seven people, including six school students, who had set out secretly without informing their families, police said on Saturday.
The multi-vehicle pile-up occurred early Friday morning near M Satyavara on the Hoskote-Dabaspet Highway in Bengaluru Rural district, they said.
According to police, six students set out in an SUV for a "joyride". The SUV car allegedly being driven by one of the students, Ayan Ali, reportedly at 150-160 kmph was en route from Hoskote towards Devanahalli when it allegedly struck a motorcycle from behind.
Ali took his father's car without parents knowledge, police said.
The driver of the SUV allegedly lost control after the initial impact and crashed into a canter vehicle. Another car was also drawn into the wreckage, resulting in a severe pile-up.
Six occupants of the SUV and the motorcycle rider identified as 26-year-old Gagan, a resident of Devanahalli, died on the spot, police said.
The impact of the accident flung the two-wheeler rider off the vehicle, and he hit the metal side crash barrier with extreme force, leading to his death.
The other deceased were identified as Ahram Sharif (16), Ashvin Nayar, Eethan George, Ayan Ali, Bharath - all 17 years old; Mohammed Farhan Shaik (18), students of class 10 and 12.
Around 11 am on Friday, grieving parents gathered at MVJ Hospital near Hoskote, struggling to come to terms with the fact that their children had died in the accident.
Devastating scenes unfolded at the mortuary as the families of the students broke down when police asked them to identify bodies.
Many were in shock, unable to accept the news conveyed to them by the police as most of the families were unaware of their children's "joyride" and believed they were sleeping in their rooms at home.
Sharif's uncle, Baba Jaan, told reporters that Sharif didn't even know how to ride a two-wheeler.
Gagan's family said he was working at a private company and was the sole provider and the "eyes" of his visually impaired mother. Upon hearing the news of the death of her only son and anchor, the mother was inconsolable.
According to his family, Gagan was on his way home after finishing his night shift when the accident occurred. He would leave for work at 5 pm and return around 3 am.
"We got to know about the accident at around 6 am on Friday. He was the only child of his parents. His mother is partially visibly challenged. He has been running the family since his father's demise," Gagan's uncle told reporters here.
Police said further investigation is underway.
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