Pune, February 13 Senior NCP leader Hasan Mushrif admitted on Friday that the late party president, Ajit Pawar, was in talks with NCP (SP) leaders about the merger of the two factions.
Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur, Mushrif, a cabinet minister in Maharashtra, said the situation has changed since Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash last month, and before making any decision, his party will need to consult with the ruling ally, the BJP.
"I have said many times that Ajit Pawar was discussing the merger of the two NCP factions… no other leader from NCP was involved. We are not claiming that no discussions about the merger took place. But now, after Ajit dada's death, the situation has changed. We will need to consult with the BJP," he said.
He further stated that the party will make a decision based on the wishes of Ajit Pawar's wife and Deputy Chief Minister, Sunetra Pawar.
"We used to receive calls from Ajit Pawar that if both factions come together, they would have to contest the (local body) elections under a single symbol. But beyond that, dada never spoke to us about the merger," Mushrif claimed.
While NCP (SP) leaders, including Sharad Pawar, have said that Ajit Pawar was keen on reuniting the party, NCP leaders have indicated that they are not in a hurry to expedite the process.