‘Pune Polls Just An Excuse, Merger In Next 2-3 Months’: Arnab’s Big Post-Election Political Landscape Prediction For Maharashtra | WATCH

New Delhi: In yet another major tactical shift, that is likely to change the political equations in Maharashtra, the Ajit Pawar led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Sharad Pawar led Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Chandra Pawar) NCP-SP is likely to merge in the next two-three months, Republic Media Network Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami said on Saturday.

Just ahead of the state's civic elections in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, both the parties released their joint political manifesto, hinting at a possible merger soon at the national level. Both the cousins Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar's daughter, shared the stage on Saturday, suggesting a thaw in the political relations between the two parties as well as the two leaders, who are both seen as the successors of veteran politician Sharad Pawar.

According to Arnab Goswami, the modalities of the merger are almost over and Sharad Pawar has pushed for a Cabinet post for his daughter, Supriya Sule at the Centre.

“Many things are happening together. My information is that the merger process is almost complete. The modalities are being worked out. There is a broad understanding. Once these elections are over, the Municipal elections and the BMC elections, they will announce the merger. Sharad Pawar wants two Ministries at the central level and he would obviously want a portfolio for Supriya Sule,” Arnab said.

Speaking about the timings of the big merger announcement, Arnab said, "I think it would be announced under three months, any time within the next 2-3 months, sooner than later."

Arnab underlined that the visuals of Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar sharing stage together are significant and they are being "deliberately created to project unity at the national level, at a Maharashtra level, and not at a Pune civic poll level."

Explaining the significance of NCP-SP Working President Supriya Sule and NCP Chief Ajit Pawar sharing the stage on Saturday for such a local level event, Arnab said, “This event is very important. It is not necessary for Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule to share the stage for a civic poll event. Neither was it necessary to create a big song and dance about it by releasing a manifesto, appearing on stage. This is only an excuse to show unity at the highest level. It is the coming together of the Sharad Pawar group and the Ajit Pawar group. There was no need for Ajit Pawar to contest as many as 100 civic seats in BMC elections either where they do not have a significant presence.” 

Supriya Sule's Political Shift

NCP Working President Supriya Sule is broadly seen as close to the Opposition INDIA bloc ideologically, A merger of both the NCP factions would like push Sule towards the BJP camp. 

“Supriya Sule has been so long wedded into the so long pseudo-secular camp, her political inclinations were more anti-BJP. But now she seems to have agreed to the overall process. Therefore Ajit Pawar manages the party in Maharashtra and Supriya Sule angle for a position in Delhi. This is going to add to the numbers of the NDA by 8-9 MPs also, if this process were to happen,” Arab explained, adding how the merger will also help the BJP at the Centre. 

Arnab highlighted that Sule, who has long been seen close to the Congress, may have finally realised that the grand old party has lost its way.

“Supriya Sule sees herself in the Congress firmament. But she is also practical. I think she also feels that the Congress is going nowhere. And she has got to make a career of it,” he said.

Arnab also pointed out that Supriya Sule is more of a political front for the NCP in Delhi national politics than at the state-level.

“It is also broadly understood that Supriya Sule is much happy in Delhi political circles than in the rough-and-tumble of state politics, which she does not understand. She, once-in-a-while, makes a speech or an appearance, like today. But she is not a mass ground politician. She is more of a person comfortable in parliamentary committees, subcommittees, which happens in Lutyens' politics,” Arnab said.

“For the last 5-6 years, Sharad Pawar has been trying to position Supriya Sule in Delhi. And this may be an opportune time,” Arnab added, suggesting that this merger may be a significant political milestone for Sule.

Sharad Pawar May Lose Clout

Pointing out that Sharad Pawar is losing his clout at the local level in Maharashtra, as suggestive after the split, Arnab said that the veteran politician may not be very active in day-to-day political maneuvers at the local level. 

“It (the merger) will of course have an impact at the local level. But Sharad Pawar is not very active. After his present tenure in Parliament is over, he may even go into a retired position, playing the role of a mentor and not very actively important,” Arnab said.

Arnab also pointed out that as Sharad Pawar's political stronghold wanes, it becomes increasingly difficult for him to secure a place for her daughter, Supriya Sule, at the Centre.

“Sharad Pawar has a lot of moral effect, his words carry weight. But organisationally, actively and operationally, he is not really at his peak. He is not a spent force, because every word he utters has a lot of moral impact. But that did not show when the party split. The first sign of weakness of Sharad Pawar was when the split happened. When Praful Patel left him, he was left helpless. So Sharad Pawar realises that as time passes, his ability to negotiate anything on behalf of Supriya Sule also considerably reduces,” he said.

In response to a question on whether the ‘Pawar’ merger is suggestive of Devendra Fadnavis' political maneuvers, Arnab said that the Chief Minister is the youngest of the three political heavyweights, Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar and himself, in Maharashtra's political landscape, and has sufficient time left.

“Devendra Fadnavis is the youngest of them all, he has a much longer way to go. Ajit Pawar is 10 years older than him, Sharad Pawar is 30 years older than him. Devendra Fadnavis is in absolutely no hurry,” Arnab underlined.

How The BJP May React

While the probable merger may not be taken positively by everyone in the ruling BJP, it also helps the saffron party to increase the seat count of the NDA, and reduce its dependence on major allies like Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena and the Nitish Kumar led JDU.

“If this (merger) does happen, some people in BJP may be uneasy. But the BJP will gain 8-9 seats in the NDA, which is something they can do with right now. Because, the dependence on any one party reduces,” Arnab said.

The likely merger comes more than two years after the uncle-nephew parted ways in July 2, 2023, when Ajit Pawar bundled up some MLAs loyal to him, split the party, and joined hands with the BJP-Shiv Sena ruling coalition, securing the Deputy Chief Minister post for himself, yet again.

Devendra Fadnavis' Interview With Republic

Recently, in an exclusive interview with Republic Media Network's Editor-In-Chief Arnab Goswami on Wednesday, Arnab pressed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on whether Ajit Pawar was acting on behalf of Sharad Pawar, suggesting that Sharad Pawar wanted to keep channels open with the BJP and NDA but had not been able to bring Supriya Sule on board.

In response, Fadnavis stressed that Sharad Pawar alone decided to switch sides and align with the BJP. He added that it was Sharad Pawar’s choice to join hands with Uddhav Thackeray “to have a better hold on power”, and that only the senior Pawar was privy to his own reasons for the planning and strategy behind the move.

On Sharad Pawar switching sides, Fadnavis said, “But my belief is that as soon as Sonia ji told him that they were ready to go with Uddhav, he felt that a second option had opened.”

“If he went with BJP, then Devendra Fadnavis is a leader here, above him sits Amit Shah, above him sits Modi ji," Fadnavis added.

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