Maharashtra politics is currently revolving around one question: could the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), led by Sharad Pawar, merge into the Congress? The question has stirred activity within both the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the Mahayuti camps. The speculation was first set off by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who said that to take on the BJP, the regional parties that had broken away from the Congress should come together with it once again, and that Sharad Pawar should lead this process.
Sanjay Raut said, "A strong Congress, a united Congress, must stand within the country as a powerful alternative. Pawar sahib should come forward in this regard (take the initiative). Respected Sharad Pawar ji, this ideology or role that is taking shape, of coming together, if he leads it and comes forward (takes the initiative), then this idea will go a long way."
The Question: Does This Mean the NCP Will Go With Congress Too?
Sanjay Raut said, "What I am saying is that the parties which left the Congress ideology, for certain reasons, are today already working on the Congress's line of thinking. They are in government, they are together in many streams, so if this idea all comes together, then a very big alternative (challenge) can be raised before the Modi government."
What Did Congress Say?
The Congress, too, did not entirely reject this talk. Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole claimed that the idea of the NCP merging into the Congress is not new and that the proposal had come up earlier as well. Meanwhile, some party leaders have stressed the need for unity among opposition parties. Nana Patole said this understanding has now developed among regional parties in various states as well. Whether it is Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar or other parties that represent secular politics, all feel that to save the country they should stand with the Congress. This very process, he said, has now begun.
What Did the NCP (Sharad Pawar) Say?
On the other hand, the NCP (Sharad Pawar) has for now denied any formal merger proposal. Party leaders have said that no such discussion has taken place officially, though the statements of Rohit Pawar and Supriya Sule have hinted that all options can be considered on the question of opposition unity. On the suggestion of the NCP merging into the Congress, Supriya Sule said, "Sanjay Raut ji is like an elder brother to me; he has given a good suggestion. Who knows whether it will happen or not." Rohit Pawar, meanwhile, said, "Whenever it happens, it happens. It may happen, it may not. But the first and most important thing is that all opposition parties come together and stand firmly against the Modi government."
What Did CM Fadnavis Say?
Taking a dig at the entire episode, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that regional parties will not merge into a Congress that is like a "sinking ship." He claimed that even if opposition parties unite, it will have no effect on the BJP's expansion; on the contrary, the BJP will only gain political space.
Speculation Grows Sharper in Maharashtra Politics
All in all, so far there has been neither any official decision nor any announcement regarding a merger of the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar). But after Sanjay Raut's suggestion, the positive signals from Congress leaders, and the reactions of Rohit Pawar and Supriya Sule, speculation over this issue has grown even sharper in Maharashtra's politics.
