Amit Shah to Visit Pune on Nov 15-16, Meet BJP, NCP, Shiv Sena Leaders

Amid NCP merger talks, HM Shah to meet senior leaders of BJP, NCP, Shiv Sena during 2-day Pune visit

Mumbai, Nov 13

On November 15, HM Shah will lay the foundation stone for an industrial unit to be run on a cooperative basis in Talegaon Dabhade and later visit the Bharat Forge facility at Mundve. He will stay in Pune on Sunday night, and is expected to meet the senior leaders and office-bearers of the BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena. On November 15, he is also likely to flag off the Pune Marathon.

HM Shah will unveil the statue of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar on November 16 on the premises of Pune Zilla Parishad. The function will be attended by NCP legislators, ministers, MPs and other functionaries as they have been alerted about the programme over the phone. The two-day official programme has been confirmed by the state publicity department.

NCP sources also confirmed that HM Shah will unveil Ajit Pawar's statue, adding that the formal request was made by Deputy CM and NCP chief Sunetra Pawar. In addition, sources said the party functionaries will also interact with HM Shah about the Mahayuti alliance and NDA issues.

The Home Minister's visit comes days after Dy CM Sunetra Pawar and her son and party MP Parth Pawar met the former in New Delhi, reportedly over their request to return the finance department to NCP and also about the possible merger or reunion of NCP factions. Thereafter, a group of NCP leaders comprising Praful Patel, Maharashtra unit chief Sunil Tatkare, former Assembly Speaker Dilip Walse Patil, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif and former minister Dhananjay Munde met HM Shah and reportedly discussed the functioning of the party and the growing rift between the veterans and youth leaders.

HM Shah's visit is also important when putting an end to the days of intense political speculation in Maharashtra. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule on Thursday categorically ruled out any ongoing merger talks between the two NCP factions, declaring that the chapter closed for her the day her brother, late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, passed away.

Addressing the media, Sule dismissed swirling rumours of a reunion between the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and the ruling NCP faction headed by Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar. "No proposal regarding a merger has been received by us," Sule stated unequivocally.

In an emotional remark, she added, "My brother is gone, and on that very day, the subject of the merger ended for me. I have not received any proposal, so I have no information about what merger is being discussed. No one has spoken to me about this."

Sule's statement comes as the rumour mill in Maharashtra's political circles has gone into overdrive over the past week following a series of high-profile developments and cryptic statements.

NCP Maharashtra president Sunil Tatkare recently stated that merger talks were actively underway while Ajit Pawar was alive and would have materialised in February had it not been for his untimely demise in a plane crash.

During Sharad Pawar's recent hospitalisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned to inquire about his health, followed two days later by a visit from senior NCP leader Praful Patel. Subsequently, MP Parth Pawar visited Sharad Pawar's Mumbai residence, 'Silver Oak', on two consecutive days, fueling talk of backchannel negotiations.

Chief Minister Fadnavis said, "Only Sharad Pawar and Sunetra Pawar can clarify whether the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions will merge, noting that the BJP has not been informed of any such move."

Addressing rumours about a potential merger between the two rival NCP factions, CM Fadnavis maintained that any such decision would heavily involve the ruling coalition. "If they decide to merge, they will come and tell us, because the merger cannot happen without us. Neither of them has told us anything yet," he said.

When pressed by reporters on the likelihood of reunification, Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar on Wednesday in Pune avoided a direct denial, remarking, "As time comes, you will all come to know about everything", a statement that further stoked political conjecture.

— IANS