Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule says discussions about merging the party’s rival factions have ended following the death of her brother, former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Multiple outlets report Sule characterises the proposed reunion as having been effectively closed after he died.
The reporting also reflects ongoing speculation about a possible reconciliation between the two NCP groups, with Sule and others trying to limit further talk. She says a date had been fixed and that merger discussions occurred while Ajit Pawar was alive, but that the issue stopped immediately after his death. Free Press Journal coverage also highlights Sule rejecting merger rumours by saying she received no direct proposal or message from the Ajit Pawar-led camp, and that she is no longer willing to comment as questions continue.
Across outlets, the central context is the end of merger speculation after Ajit Pawar’s death, with framing varying between “date was fixed but talks ended” and “full stop to merger talks.” Some reports also include additional efforts to deny merger buzz from within the NCP factions.
