Opinion | Is Sharad Pawar Planning To Merge NCP With NDA? Behind The Ongoing Calculations

The recent flurry of activity around Sharad Pawar and his faction of the NCP has sparked speculation about his next move. His decision could well upset the political chessboard in Maharashtra, where equations remain fragile amid continuing turmoil and uncertainty despite the apparent stability of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government.

On the face of it, the meetings he and his party leaders have held over the past couple of weeks suggest that Sharad Pawar is seriously considering the option of joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Certainly, this is what the BJP hopes, as Pawar's eight MPs in the Lok Sabha would add much-needed numbers should the Modi government make a second bid to get the contentious delimitation bill passed in the monsoon session of Parliament beginning on July 21.

However, Sharad Pawar is known to keep his cards close to his chest. Consequently, it would be unwise to second-guess a leader who has built himself a formidable reputation as one of the canniest politicians in the country.

A String Of Visits

Despite this caveat, it is obvious that Sharad Pawar is weighing the benefits of leading his party into the NDA. Over the past couple of weeks, he has met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as well as Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Following these interactions, a close aide of Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra MLA Jayant Patil, held late-night talks with Fadnavis. Two prominent MPs from the rival NCP faction headed by late Ajit Pawar's widow Sunetra Pawar, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, were also present.

Two days later, Patil met Shinde along with another Sharad Pawar loyalist, Jitendra Awhad. The three of them were closeted in a room for more than an hour, and Shinde had to delay his trip to Delhi for an important NDA meeting ahead of the Parliament session.

If no decision has been announced so far despite all these hectic moves, it's because a second and far more tempting option is unfolding behind the scenes: the possibility of reviving his dream of reuniting his splintered party and preserving the Sharad Pawar legacy in western Maharashtra.

Ajit Pawar's Death

A reunification would have happened by now but for nephew Ajit Pawar's unexpected death in a plane crash in January this year. Although the younger Pawar had dealt his uncle a personal blow by splitting the NCP, joining the NDA, bringing down the MVA government Sharad Pawar had crafted with Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister, and then going on to thrash the NCP(SP) in the assembly elections in 2024, he had a change of heart in late 2025 and had started talks for a merger of the two factions.

The timeline was set for early 2026, after the local polls. But then came the tragic passing of Ajit Pawar. It was a bolt out of the blue. Apart from the personal loss, Sharad Pawar found his reunification plan unravelling as the BJP persuaded Ajit Pawar's widow, Sunetra Pawar, to take on her husband's mantle, lead his party, and fill his position as deputy chief minister in the Fadnavis-led NDA government.

Why Party Leaders Are Miffed With Sunetra Pawar

According to those who are familiar with the politics of the Pawar clan, she took these steps without consulting Sharad Pawar, who has always ruled the family like a benevolent patriarch.

Not surprisingly, she is now rapidly losing authority and control. Being a complete greenhorn in politics, Sunetra Pawar has been increasingly relying on her sons, Parth and Jay, for decisions. This has angered senior members of her party who are chafing at the bit.

Mounting resentment in the Ajit Pawar faction towards Sunetra Pawar and her sons has opened a door to renegotiate a merger with Sharad Pawar. There is no official confirmation of this, but there are several signals that all is not well in Ajit Pawar's NCP.

One is the recent late-night meeting Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare had with Sharad Pawar aide Jayant Patil and Devendra Fadnavis. Apparently, Sunetra Pawar was kept in the dark. This has driven another wedge between her and senior leaders of her party.

Two, party leader Sachchidanand Singh has come out in the open and waved the flag of rebellion. He served a legal notice to Sunetra Pawar, objecting to her appointment as NCP(AP) resident. The notice said the appointment had violated the party's constitution and should be declared "illegal, non-existent and void''.

Three, although Praful Patel officially denied reports of trouble within the party, he did acknowledge that "corrective measures'' were necessary in the method of functioning. It was a significant admission from a leader who specialises in evasiveness.

BJP Waits With Anticipation

The BJP must be viewing these developments with consternation. It would want to stop the reunification of the NCP at all costs. It understands the stature Sharad Pawar enjoys in Maharashtra, which is why it tends to handle him with caution. It is worth noting here that the BJP did not try to scuttle his election to the Rajya Sabha earlier this year. This is in sharp contrast to the tactics it has employed in other states against Opposition candidates.

If the two factions of the NCP get together again, it would only strengthen Sharad Pawar and make him a more formidable force to contend with. Although his influence is largely limited to western Maharashtra, this region, with its cash-rich sugar cooperatives and significant levels of development, is highly-prized. Sharad Pawar has guarded his fiefdom zealously and managed to prevent the BJP's entry till his party broke and Ajit Pawar crossed over to the NDA.

In the winter of life, as he approaches his 86th birthday, Pawar would want nothing more than to re-establish his control and power in a region that has been his political hunting ground for decades. According to those who know him well, he is looking to complete two tasks before his current term in the Rajya Sabha ends in 2032. One is to leave behind a lasting political legacy. The other is to secure daughter Supriya Sule's political future.

A Difficult Choice

This is where his dilemma lies. He is aware that joining the NDA will destroy his stature and turn him into just another BJP ally. This is unacceptable for a man who has moved with cunning skill through many ups and downs to rise as Maharashtra's tallest leader and worthy successor to his idol, the late YB Chavan.

He is also sensitive to Supriya Sule's discomfort with the BJP. In fact, those who know her well say that she has consistently opposed an alliance with the BJP, although her father seems to have come close to it several times in recent years. She enjoys a good rapport with Congress leaders, particularly Rahul Gandhi, who seems to be keen to see a homecoming of sorts of Congress splinter groups like the NCP and Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.

Yet, Pawar Sr cannot ignore pressures from within his party as leaders, even those loyal to him, worry about their future in a post-Sharad Pawar scenario. The power seekers are pushing to join hands with the BJP.

Unfortunately, for Sharad Pawar, time and health are not on his side. He will be 86 this year and is physically frail. He has always preferred to wait and watch before making any move. Today, he may not have such luxury of time - not with the BJP breathing down his party's neck. He will have to take a decision soon - before someone else takes it for him.

(The author is a senior journalist)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author