Jayant Patil Discloses Ajit Pawar's Persistent Drive for NCP Merger Before Sharad Pawar's Demise
In a significant political revelation, NCP (SP) politician Jayant Patil stated on Saturday that NCP chief Ajit Pawar had been consistently advocating for a merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party during the lifetime of veteran leader Sharad Pawar. Patil emphasized that Ajit Pawar would frequently express profound affection and respect for his uncle, aiming to mend the rift that emerged after the party split.
Merger Talks Aimed at Clearing Ajit Pawar's Image
According to Patil, Ajit Pawar was keen on dispelling the negative perception that had formed among supporters following his departure from the undivided NCP. "He wanted to clear his image created amongst supporters after splitting from undivided NCP," Patil remarked, noting that several meetings were conducted with the explicit goal of integration in mind.
Patil clarified that since Sharad Pawar, the central figure in these discussions, is no longer alive, the decision now rests with the NCP officebearers. He highlighted the importance of consulting NCP MLAs, stating, "His wife, Sunetra Pawar, will have to understand what NCP MLAs think about the merger. It is important to know their views before a decision is taken. If they go ahead, Ajitdada's final wish will be fulfilled."
Clarifying Sharad Pawar's Statement and Detailing Meeting Dynamics
Patil's comments came in response to NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar's earlier statement that Patil had spearheaded the merger talks, while he himself was not directly involved. Patil countered this by revealing that Ajit Pawar had visited his residence multiple times recently, with merger discussions often taking place informally over dinner.
"His wish was to unite the two parties while Sharad Pawar is still around. He would voice his desire to join hands with Sharad Pawar and erase the image created among the masses," Patil explained. He disclosed that approximately ten meetings were held on this topic, with the initial four focusing on Ajit Pawar's emotional expressions of respect for his uncle.
Patil further elaborated that Ajit Pawar aimed to move past the developments of recent years and strengthen the NCP across Maharashtra through this reunification.
Timeline of Merger Plans and Election Coordination
Earlier on Saturday, Patil claimed that it had been decided to announce the merger on February 12. He provided a detailed account of a meeting held on January 16 at his residence, attended by Ajit Pawar and NCP (SP) politicians Amol Kolhe and Harshwardhan Patil, where they agreed to contest zilla parishad elections together.
"We decided to meet Sharad Pawar on Jan 17. A flight operator told us his plane could not land at Baramati as the airstrip was short, so we drove down. The meeting started at 8am. Ajitdada insisted on making it public on Feb 8, after the announcement of ZP elections' result. Later, he left it to me to decide the date and I zeroed in on Feb 12," Patil recounted. This was followed by another meeting at Sharad Pawar's Baramati residence.
Broader Discussions and Internal Support
When questioned about whether NCP (SP) planned to join the government, Patil indicated that the initial focus was on reuniting the parties. "There are several details, which I will reveal subsequently. The discussions went a lot further," he said, mentioning that Supriya Sule was present for some of these meetings.
Patil also revealed that Ajit Pawar had informed him about sharing the merger decision with key NCP leaders like Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and Chhagan Bhujbal. "He told us that all his MLAs, barring one or two, would be in support," Patil added, suggesting strong internal backing for the move.
Unexpected Setback and Personal Reflections
Patil noted that the merger was finalized when an aircrash occurred, hinting at unforeseen circumstances. "The village sarpanch said that there was an unusually loud sound before the plane crashed. I think things will come to light after examining the black box," he commented, without elaborating further.
As one of the promising leaders nurtured by Sharad Pawar, Patil reflected on his relationship with Ajit Pawar and Dilip Walse Patil. "I used to tell Ajitdada and Dilip Walse Patil that I am younger than them and have ample time. They should go ahead and do what they want to. There was never any competition between us," he said, praising Ajit Pawar's tenure as deputy chief minister.
Patil also mentioned a conversation with someone from the state election commission after municipal elections, where he requested a four-day window for the merger before zilla parishad polls were announced, but it did not materialize. "I don't know. I cannot comment on it," he concluded, leaving the matter open-ended.
