Ajit Pawar had planned NCP faction merger, close aide and Anil Deshmukh say

Days after the sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, it has emerged that the late leader was actively planning a merger of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

A close aide of Ajit Pawar, Kiran Gujar, revealed to PTI that the Deputy CM had confided in him about the merger just five days before his tragic death on Wednesday. Gujar, who has known Pawar since the mid-1980s, said the leader was determined to bring the factions together while his uncle and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar (85) was still in good health.

Also Read: Ajit Pawar was keen on NCP merger days before death, wanted announcement in few days: Aide


Following Gujar’s disclosure, NCP-SCP leader and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh echoed the sentiment, stressing that Pawar’s wish must be respected. “Ajit Pawar wanted a merger to happen. Jayant Patil also held meetings… We will decide after the municipal corporation elections. Both factions need to come together as per Ajit Dada’s wish. This was his final wish, so steps should be taken accordingly,” Deshmukh said.

The revelation adds a new dimension to Maharashtra’s political landscape, coming days after Pawar’s untimely death in a crash that has left the state mourning a senior leader known for his administrative acumen and grassroots connect. In recent civic polls, both NCP factions had contested in alliance, signaling the late Deputy CM’s vision of uniting the party before his passing.