Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says no formal NCP merger proposal has been received by either BJP from Sharad Pawar’s faction (NCP-SP) or Sunetra Pawar’s faction. The comments come as speculation persists after meetings involving Sharad Pawar and other NCP leaders, including Diwali-related visits and back-to-back meetings reported around the end of last week.
Free Press Journal and Times of India both describe Fadnavis dismissing the merger talk, stressing that the BJP has not been approached and that a merger “cannot happen without us” if it is decided by the leadership. In Free Press Journal’s Diwali framing, Rajesh Tope says his visit to Sharad Pawar was solely a longstanding Diwali tradition, though drought and sugarcane-farmer concerns were also discussed.
Other coverage focuses more on the meeting pattern and who attended. Titles from Times of India and Free Press Journal highlight meetings by Parth Pawar with Sharad Pawar at his Silver Oak residence on consecutive days, which they say has intensified reunion speculation. One outlet also notes family members may hold differing views and that leadership announcements could be timed around Nov 10, but accounts provided do not confirm any merger decision.
