Uncertainty over NCP merger: Sharad Pawar heads to Mumbai; Sunetra Pawar returns to Baramati

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar left for Mumbai from Baramati on Sunday morning, four days after the air crash that claimed the life of his nephew and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. NCP leader Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar, who took oath as deputy CM in Mumbai on Saturday, returned to Baramati in Pune, the hometown of the Pawars, late at night. It was unclear whether Sharad Pawar and Sunetra Pawar met or spoke over the phone amid the latest political developments and talks about the merger of the two NCP factions. Sharad Pawar has no scheduled programmes in Mumbai. His daughter and Baramati Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule left for Delhi on Saturday to attend the budget session. The NCP (SP) chief on Saturday claimed that he had ''no idea'' about the swearing-in of Sunetra Pawar as deputy chief minister, and said his late nephew had finalised February 12 to announce a merger between the NCP factions. He also said the process to merge the NCP (SP) and NCP may now face a roadblock due to the death of Ajit Pawar. ''There was no discussion with me about the swearing-in. Her party (NCP) may have made the decision. The names of Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare came up, and it is learnt that they took the initiative. They might have taken a decision internally within the party,'' he said. The NCP (SP) chief also said the ruling faction may have felt that someone should take up the post after Ajit Pawar's death. Parth Pawar, son of Ajit Pawar, met Pawar senior at the latter's residence, Govindbaug, in Baramati, on Saturday. Sule, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, and Yugendra Pawar were also present. Following Ajit Pawar's death on January 28, merger talks between the two NCP groups-which had been at an advanced stage-appear to have been put on the back burner, with Patel and Tatkare remaining tight-lipped while leaders like Narhari Zirwal advocate unity.