NCP (SP) at crossroads, reunion with NCP may be its best plan for future

Pune: Since forming the NCP in 1999, Sharad Pawar's party remained in a position where it could never be ignored, but these municipal corporation elections have brought out the party's worst-ever performance. After its near-annihilation, political observers believe that Pawar will give serious consideration to reuniting with his nephew on the political front.Of the 29 municipal corporations which went to the polls in Maharashtra on Thursday, Sharad Pawar's party failed to open its account in as many as 14 municipal corporations. The most interesting battle for the party was in the Pawar family's home district of Pune, where the uncle and nephew allied to take on the BJP. However, in Pune Municipal Corporation, Sharad Pawar's party won only two seats, and did not even open its account in neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.
Despite the alliance, the NCP (SP)'s senior leadership did not campaign in most municipal corporations. While senior Pawar did not make any appearance during both the meetings that led to the alliance nor did he campaign, the party's working president Supriya Sule stayed away from campaigning for most of the polls. She only joined her estranged cousin and NCP chief Ajit Pawar to release the alliance's manifesto for PMC, but did not undertake any joint rally.NCP (SP) office-bearers said the party's organisational structure was already shaky due to the poaching of candidates by other parties. "The senior leadership did not expect much from these elections, as not many worthy candidates were left with the party. In fact, there was a growing demand that the party go with Ajit Pawar's NCP, and the alliance was the first step in that direction," a senior Congress member told TOI.Going ahead, observers said, the NCP (SP) has minimal options other than merging with other political parties. Political analyst Parimal Maya Sudhakar told TOI, "Following the split in the party in July 2023, the sentiments of the party workers were with Sharad Pawar. However, over time, those sentiments have settled down, and they are now looking for stability. Hence, many switched sides during the elections."In 2024, Sharad Pawar said that some regional parties would move closer to bigger parties in the state. "If the party is hell-bent on secular ideology, NCP (SP) can think of merging with a national party like the Congress for survival. On the other hand, if the party does not want to remain in the opposition, then Ajit Pawar's NCP is the option which Sharad Pawar can work on. Going by the recent political developments in the state, it looks like the merger of both NCP groups is imminent," Sudhakar told TOI.