‘Sharad Pawar should take the final call on allying with NDA’

As speculations mount on whether the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) will support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on the Delimitation Bill, Mahayuti sources said the ball is now in Mr. Pawar’s court.

The BJP allegedly told the party that it would accept the NCP(SP) as an alliance partner only if it merged with the NCP.

But leaders of both parties said such a merger was unlikely. “There are leadership issues in this equation. There is an internal rift in the NCP (SP), the second line of leadership after Sharad Pawar. There is a group of senior leaders in the NCP who are unhappy with the leadership of Sunetra Pawar and her sons. It is difficult for both parties to come together,” said a senior leader. Hindu.

Meanwhile, sources said Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has been asked to stay away as unrest grows in the NCP(SP) camp. While some leaders have expressed their preference to join Mr. Shinde’s party, Mr. Shinde has not shown any interest in the party so far.

“The message is very clear. If the NCP (SP) wants to support the NDA and be a part of it, it should join hands with the NCP and come together as one party. The BJP is not willing to have two separate factions as part of the alliance as it sends the wrong message to the BJP’s allies,” said a senior leader in Mahayuti.

Mr. Pawar’s party has eight Lok Sabha MPs. Ms. Sunetra Pawar’s NCP has one Lok Sabha MP. The NCP(SP) had voted against the Bill in the last session when the entire Opposition came together under the INDIA Bloc to defeat the Bill. However, this time, NCP(SP) leader Supriya Sule hinted that if the government increases the number of seats in all states by 50 per cent and gives a written formula for implementing the restriction, “there will be little reason to oppose”.

three options

Mahayuti sources said Sharad Pawar has three options: merge with the NCP and join the NDA as part of the ruling alliance or support the NDA from outside; or just support the Limitation Bill and some specific issues. “BJP has said that it does not want NCP (SP) as a separate party in the alliance. But the call is now entirely up to the party. It will have to decide what it wants to do,” said a senior leader.

Sources in the NCP said it was unlikely that the family would join hands under a united leadership. “In NCP(SP), the cadres are completely unconnected with Supriya Sule. Jayant Patil is not happy with Supriya Sule’s leadership. Rohit Pawar is unhappy with Jayant Patil and vice versa. In NCP, some leaders are unhappy with Parth Pawar’s style of functioning. The truth is that only a Pawar can hold the party together. This is a Maratha party and a Maratha leader will have to be at the helm,” said a leader.