NCP leaders to meet CM after legislature party meeting, says Sunil Tatkare; declines to speak on merger

Talking to reporters after meeting Sunetra Pawar, Tatkare said the legislature party meeting is scheduled to take place at 2 pm, where she is expected to be named as its leader.

Mumbai: NCP's Maharashtra unit chief Sunil Tatkare on Saturday said the leaders of his party will meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and hand over a letter of appointment of Sunetra Pawar as the legislature party leader.

Talking to reporters after meeting Sunetra Pawar here, Tatkare said the legislature party meeting is scheduled to take place at 2 pm, where she is expected to be named as its leader.

"After the meeting, we will meet CM Fadnavis and submit a letter about her appointment (as the legislature party leader) to facilitate further action (for her swearing-in as the deputy chief minister)," he said.

Ajit Pawar, 66, and four others were killed in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28. He was cremated with full state honours the next day.

Tatkare said the ashes of late Ajit Pawar will be taken to all talukas in the state to enable party workers to pay their last respects.

The NCP state chief, however, refused to speak on the talks of merger of the two NCP factions.

"The January 17 video of a meeting of Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, which is being circulated, was of a tea party after an agriculture exhibition in Baramati. Ajitdada himself had told the media that the meeting was about alliance for local body polls," he said.

The talk of merger of NCP and the NCP (SP), the faction headed by party founder Sharad Pawar, has been gaining ground following Ajit Pawar's death.