<p>Mumbai: In a significant statement involving Baramati’s Pawar family and the two NCP factions, family patriarch and party’s founder Sharad Pawar on Monday said that there are no fresh talks involving a possible merger of NCP and NCP (SP). </p><p>“There are no talks of any merger currently going on,” Pawar, the NCP (SP) supremo, told reporters in New Delhi hours after he was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha member. </p>.Jay Pawar's entry into NCP marks new phase in Baramati power play.<p>However, he reiterated that talks had earlier taken place between NCP (SP) leader and former state home minister Jayant Patil and his nephew Ajit Pawar, the then former deputy chief minister and NCP national president. </p><p>Ajit Pawar, who died on January 28 in a plane crash in Baramati, had taken control of the ‘original NCP party’ in June-July 2023 when he rebelled against his uncle and crossed over from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to ruling BJP-led Maha Yuti.</p><p>Ajit Pawar wanted both sides to come together again and had initiated talks, however, his death has stalled the parlays. </p><p>On the issue of Congress putting up Akash More against Ajit Pawar’s wife and deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar, who is contesting the bye-elections from the family seat of Baramati, he said that Congress has a right to put up a candidate in any election.</p><p>“Any election must be fought with the presumption that there will be a contest…It is the prerogative of the leaders of any party to nominate a candidate and that cannot be termed as wrong,” he said.</p><p>Pawar, a four-time former Maharashtra chief minister, said that any election is contested with the understanding that there will be an opponent. </p><p>“We have not fielded a candidate. Many people contest many elections. We are saddened by Ajit Pawar’s untimely death. As the head of the Pawar family, it is my responsibility. Therefore, we decided not to contest this election,” he said.</p>
<p>Mumbai: In a significant statement involving Baramati’s Pawar family and the two NCP factions, family patriarch and party’s founder Sharad Pawar on Monday said that there are no fresh talks involving a possible merger of NCP and NCP (SP). </p><p>“There are no talks of any merger currently going on,” Pawar, the NCP (SP) supremo, told reporters in New Delhi hours after he was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha member. </p>.Jay Pawar's entry into NCP marks new phase in Baramati power play.<p>However, he reiterated that talks had earlier taken place between NCP (SP) leader and former state home minister Jayant Patil and his nephew Ajit Pawar, the then former deputy chief minister and NCP national president. </p><p>Ajit Pawar, who died on January 28 in a plane crash in Baramati, had taken control of the ‘original NCP party’ in June-July 2023 when he rebelled against his uncle and crossed over from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to ruling BJP-led Maha Yuti.</p><p>Ajit Pawar wanted both sides to come together again and had initiated talks, however, his death has stalled the parlays. </p><p>On the issue of Congress putting up Akash More against Ajit Pawar’s wife and deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar, who is contesting the bye-elections from the family seat of Baramati, he said that Congress has a right to put up a candidate in any election.</p><p>“Any election must be fought with the presumption that there will be a contest…It is the prerogative of the leaders of any party to nominate a candidate and that cannot be termed as wrong,” he said.</p><p>Pawar, a four-time former Maharashtra chief minister, said that any election is contested with the understanding that there will be an opponent. </p><p>“We have not fielded a candidate. Many people contest many elections. We are saddened by Ajit Pawar’s untimely death. As the head of the Pawar family, it is my responsibility. Therefore, we decided not to contest this election,” he said.</p>