Sunetra Pawar's Letter to ECI Sparks Controversy Over Missing Designations for Senior NCP Leaders
A recent letter signed by NCP chief Sunetra Pawar and dispatched to the Election Commission of India (ECI) has emerged on social media, drawing significant attention due to the absence of official designations for prominent party seniors Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare. This development comes as Sunetra Pawar arrived in Delhi on Wednesday evening, where she is anticipated to engage with key members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Background of NCP Leadership and the Letter
Following the split within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2023, Ajit Pawar was elected as the party chief, with Praful Patel serving as the national working president and Sunil Tatkare holding the position of state president. Tragically, Ajit Pawar passed away in a plane crash on January 28, and close to a month later, on February 26, his wife Sunetra Pawar was unanimously elected as the new party chief.
On March 10, Sunetra Pawar formally communicated her appointment to the ECI. In this correspondence, she included a list of 14 office-bearers, naming herself as the party president and Shivajirao Garje as the treasurer. However, the letter notably fails to specify any designations for the remaining 12 members, which include high-profile figures such as Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal, and Jay Pawar. Attempts by TOI to reach Patel, Tatkare, Parth, and Jay Pawar for comments were unsuccessful, as they did not respond to multiple calls and messages.
Shift in Stance on NCP Merger Talks
In a related development, Sunil Tatkare, after months of denying any reunification discussions between the two NCP factions, altered his position on Tuesday. He acknowledged that merger talks were indeed underway during the lifetime of former deputy minister Ajit Pawar, who was then the party chief. Tatkare made these remarks during an interview with an electronic media outlet, stating, "I was aware of the merger talks. It is not that I was against it, but there is a difference between the two reunification scenarios, when Ajitdada was alive and when he is not amongst us."
He further criticized members of the NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction for displaying urgency in discussing the merger immediately after Ajit Pawar's death, while not supporting Sunetra Pawar's elevation as the next NCP chief. Tatkare added, "Those people are now saying that the merger was Ajitdada's last wish, but they are the same people who targeted him when he decided to join Mahayuti. After the Lok Sabha performance, some said that Ajitdada's political career was over. I will speak about this in detail later."
Reactions from NCP (SP) Members
Senior members of the NCP (Sharad Pawar) group, including party chief Sharad Pawar, former state chief Jayant Patil, and current state chief Shashikant Shinde, have consistently maintained that the unification of the NCP factions was a desire of Ajit Pawar and that discussions had reached an advanced stage prior to his untimely demise. In response to Tatkare's comments, Shinde remarked, "We have been constantly saying that merger talks were on, but when they kept denying it, we stopped speaking. Now that Tatkare has said so, he should also reveal the discussions held by their party." NCP (SP) members expressed that Tatkare is finally acknowledging the truth about the merger negotiations.
This unfolding situation highlights the ongoing tensions and strategic maneuvers within the NCP, as the party navigates leadership changes and potential reunification efforts in the aftermath of Ajit Pawar's death.
