Baramati Legacy In Focus: Will Both NCP Factions Merge After Maharashtra Zilla Parishad Elections?

Mumbai: With the sudden demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) finds itself at a crucial political crossroads, balancing immediate governance concerns with long-term questions over leadership, legacy, and unity. At the heart of this churn lie two pressing questions: who will inherit the Baramati legacy and whether the fractured NCP will move towards a reunion after the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections.

Battle to Retain NCP’s Hold on Key Portfolios

According to sources, the NCP is preparing to formally approach Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking to retain the ministerial portfolios currently held by Ajit Pawar, which fall under the party’s quota in the ruling alliance.

Ajit Pawar had been handling the crucial Finance, Planning, and State Excise departments, along with additional charges of Sport and Youth Welfare and Minority Development. With these portfolios now vacant, the party leadership is keen to ensure that none of them slip out of NCP’s control during the impending cabinet reshuffle.

Sources indicate that a letter outlining this demand is likely to be sent to the Chief Minister in the coming days, signalling the party’s intent to safeguard its influence within the Maharashtra government.

Deputy CM Post: Push for Sunetra Pawar

In parallel, leaders from the NCP Ajit Pawar faction are actively demanding that Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s wife and a sitting Rajya Sabha MP, be appointed as the new Deputy Chief Minister.

The demand, party insiders say, is rooted in both political continuity and emotional sentiment, as the faction seeks to stabilise itself following Ajit Pawar’s death. However, no final decision is expected immediately.

Mourning Period Delays Big Decisions

The Pawar family is currently observing the traditional 13-day mourning period, during which no political announcements or decisions will be taken. Sources say all major calls, from leadership appointments to electoral strategies,  will only be made once this period concludes.

A meeting of the NCP national executive is expected to be convened thereafter, where decisions will be taken on - the next party president, the Deputy Chief Minister post, the new candidate for the upcoming Baramati Assembly by-election and the future course of the relationship between the two NCP factions

Who Will Carry Forward the Baramati Legacy?

Baramati, the Pawar family’s political bastion, now stands at the centre of intense speculation. With Ajit Pawar gone, the question of who from the family will contest the by-election and carry forward the formidable Pawar legacy, remains open.

Sources stress that this decision will be taken collectively by the family and the party leadership, keeping both electoral arithmetic and emotional considerations in mind.

Merger Was ‘Ajit Dada’s Last Wish’, Says Family Associate

Adding a significant new dimension to the merger debate, Kiran Gujar, a member of Vidya Pratishthan and a close associate of the Pawar family, on Friday said that uniting the two NCP factions was Ajit Pawar’s last wish.

Speaking to reporters after the immersion of Ajit Pawar’s ashes at the Sangam in Baramati, Gujar said, “It was Dada’s last wish that the merger of the two NCP factions should happen. Everyone should be united. Discussions on this were happening within the family. In my last phone call with him, he had asked me for some election-related papers”.

His remarks come amid reports that both NCP factions had previously contested the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal elections together and were exploring similar arrangements for the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls.

Amid speculation over whether the two NCP factions will merge after the Zilla Parishad elections, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Rajesh Tope has made a significant revelation, suggesting that reunification talks were far more advanced than previously known.

“The decision to merge both NCP factions had almost been finalised in Ajit Pawar’s presence. We were witnesses to it, and the last meetings had already taken place. Only the announcement remained, which was expected to happen after the Zilla Parishad elections”, Tope said. 

Party at a Turning Point

As Maharashtra braces for a cabinet reshuffle and key local body elections, the NCP is navigating one of its most defining moments, managing power, legacy, and internal divisions all at once.

Whether the Baramati mantle passes seamlessly within the Pawar family, and whether the two rival NCP factions eventually close ranks, are questions that will shape not just the party’s future, but Maharashtra’s political landscape in the months ahead.

ALSO READ: Maharashtra Cabinet Reshuffle Soon? NCP Moves To Retain Key Portfolios After Ajit Pawar’s Tragic Demise