Sunetra Pawar will take a call on merger of NCP factions: Bhujbal

Nashik: Senior NCP politician and cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Saturday said the decision on merging the two factions of NCP would rest solely with deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar, whom he repeatedly described as the "captain" of their group.Bhujbal spoke to reporters during his visit to Nashik amid renewed speculation over the possible unification of NCP and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). Bhujbal said the party's primary focus, at present, is to consolidate Sunetra Pawar's leadership and elect her NCP's national president. Claiming that "she will 100% become the national president of the party," Bhujbal said only after she assumed the top post would the issue of the merger be taken up."Once she becomes the party's national president, she will decide on the merger after discussions with senior functionaries, or with anyone she wants to consult," he said.Meanwhile, NCP (SP) state chief Shashikant Shinde on Saturday announced that there will not be any discussion within the party on the issue of the merger of NCPs. Interacting with the media in Mumbai, Shinde said, "I will not be making any comment on the merger issue. Our party also will not be holding any discussion on the issue."Shinde recently wrote a piece in NCP (SP) mouthpiece in which he claimed that Ajit Pawar was to lead the party after the merger of NCPs. On Saturday, when he was asked whether his party was to be part of NDA after the merger, he said, "The formula of the merger was to be decided after the results of civic bodies polls. Now, Sunetra Pawar has to take a call on the issue, and if any proposal comes from her, then only we will hold a discussion on the issue within the party."Bhujbal, responding to questions about the urgency shown by MLAs from both factions regarding the merger, said, "There is no use talking vaguely. We have our captain who will decide. She will also speak with the MLAs before taking a final call. Why this hurry?" He added a merger could happen "in a day, or even after a month or two," indicating that the timeline remained open.On the issue of the finance portfolio, Bhujbal said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had already stated that Ajit Pawar had completed a substantial portion of the budget work before his demise, and Fadnavis himself would complete the remaining work. Bhujbal added that the decision on whether the finance department would return to NCP would be taken thereafter.Asked about the possibility of a farm loan waiver, Bhujbal declined to comment, saying it would be inappropriate for him to make a general statement with the state assembly's Budget session approaching. "Whatever discussions are needed, will take place in the House," he said.