"No Question Of That": Supriya Sule's On NCP Merger Buzz

New Delhi: There is no word about a merger in the Nationalist Congress Party and Sharad Pawar's meetings with Ajit Pawar faction leaders are routine, senior party leader Supriya Sule said today. There is no proposal for a merger and whatever talks were on, ended with the death of Ajit Pawar, Sule said today in an exclusive interview with NDTV. Asked what is the hurdle for a merger, Sule said, "There is no question. Discussions happened when my brother was alive. We also had that sentiment. After he passed away, the matter ended there".About the meetings that have sparked the merger buzz -- one between Sharad Pawar and his grandson Part and other with several leaders of the NCP -- she said: "Sharad Pawar is Parth's grandfather. We have always met during family occasions, such as weddings or birthdays. Even after 2023, we have continued to meet Ajit Dada. There has never been any strain in our family relations, and there isn't any today either".As for the other leaders, she said leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party "frequently meet with Pawar Saheb"."Even if someone has left the party, Pawar Saheb maintains relationships with everyone," she added. The merger buzz, which has surfaced from time to time since Ajit Pawar broke away, has gained traction following a key meeting between leaders of the BJP including Devendra Fadnavis and that of NCP. But Sunetra Pawar -- Ajit Pawar's wife who stepped into his shoes in both government and the party, did not attend.It was interpreted as yet another signal that the 63-year-old who came into politics recently was opposed to merger. Her stance is seen as being shared by her two sons -- Parth and Jay Pawar. All three have much to lose in case of a merger since the unified party is expected to be controlled by Sharad Pawar, with Sule as his second-in-command. As of now, apart from a section of leaders in the NCP who are upset with the leadership of Sule, the BJP is the only other seen as seeking a merger. The matter was discussed at the meeting with Fadnavis and reports said the BJP had been pushing for a merger which will bring the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and its eight MPs into the NDA fold and boost the alliance's numbers in parliament.It would also remove the formidable political genius of Sharad Pawar from the opposition bloc. Asked whether she would support the government on delimitation, Sule said it is unclear when the bill will be introduced. "The discussion is limited to television. Dates keep being announced - much like court dates - yet no parliamentary session has taken place. I had mentioned this previously as well: it was supposed to happen in October, but now November has arrived," she added. As of now, besides Sule, Sunetra Pawar and Fadnavis have also been seen backtracking on the merger. While Fadnavis said any questions about the merger can only be answered by Sule or Sunetra Pawar, the latter neither confirmed the buzz, saying things will be known only at an "appropriate time".