WATCH | NCP merger buzz: Fadnavis breaks silence, says Mahayuti, NDA will be consulted if Pawar factions unite

Maharashtra Chief Minister CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party BJPled Mahayuti and National Democratic Alliance NDA would be consulted if the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party NCP decided to merge amid renewed speculation about a possible reunion between the Sharad Pawarled NCP SP and the NCP headed by Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar news agency PTI reportedSpeaking to reporters in Nagpur Fadnavis was asked about NCP leader Sunil Tatkares recent remarks and reports of discussions between the two factions on coming together 335pm 7112026Nagpur LIVE Media Interaction Maharashtra Nagpur httpstcoVGnRL94MhBmdash Devendra Fadnavis Dev_Fadnavis November 7 2026He said the NCP and NCP Sharadchandra Pawar were separate political parties and would take their own decisions on the matter While Sharad Pawar leads the NCP SP Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar heads the NCP which is an NDA ally and a partner in the ruling Mahayuti coalition in MaharashtraFadnavis said it would not be appropriate for him to comment on behalf of either party adding that both sides would decide their own course of actionWhat I am certain about is that if they decide to take such a step or if discussions are underway they will consult us as well We are the major partner in the Mahayuti alliance and in the NDAAs of today neither side has consulted us or informed us that such discussions are taking place If they are they will inform us and once they do we will respond he saidThe speculation over a possible merger gained momentum after a video of senior NCP leader Praful Patel visiting Sharad Pawar at a Mumbai hospital went viral Reports also suggested that the two leaders had discussed holding a meeting after November 10Subsequently NCP leader Sunil Tatkare said the merger of the two factions would have taken place in February this year had Ajit Pawar who headed the party at the time been aliveThe developments have once again fuelled speculation about the two factions of the NCP coming togetherFadnavis rejects takeover speculation over Gokul DairyOn criticism of the state governments recent decision concerning Gokul Dairy Fadnavis dismissed suggestions that the government was planning to take over the cooperativeThe idea that the state government wants to take over Gokul Dairy or something like that is wrong The Gokul election involved around 5000 voters It is an organisation confined to one district with influence mainly in a few talukas he saidThe Maharashtra CM stated that there was no reason to believe that the state government was keen to intervene in the functioning of just one such organisationIn fact I would go further and say that the state government does not even need to do this Fadnavis saidIn the recent elections to the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers Union popularly known as Gokul Dairy the Rajarshi Shahu Shetkari Samavichari Aghadi backed by Congress Member of Legislative Council MLC Satej Patil won 13 of the 25 seats The panel supported by the BJPled Mahayuti secured 12 seatsThe chairmans post has remained vacant as meetings to elect the chairman failed to achieve the required quorum of 14 directorsThe state Cabinet has approved a proposal that could significantly alter the balance of power in the cooperative by allowing the government to appoint five directors to its board four of whom would have voting rights The move is likely to tilt the balance in favour of the Mahayutibacked panelEarlier Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had criticised the decision accusing the BJPled Maharashtra government of theft of milk producers votes and adulteration in the mandateFadnavis said the two groups should resolve their differences through discussions instead of involving the state governmentEven today my view is that if both groups sit together and arrive at a decision there would be no need for these people to be involved eitherhellipThe government will not send anyone It has no interest in sending anyone The government only has a legal responsibility to fulfil if a legal crisis arises he saidWith PTI inputs