At Mumbai meeting, NCP(SP) members seek clarity on reunion speculations

Pune: In a much-awaited meeting of NCP(SP) in Mumbai on Wednesday, some members sought clarity from the party top brass on the speculations of a reunion of two factions. However, Sharad Pawar and his daughter and the party's working president, Supriya Sule, did not attend it."The meeting was chaired by state president Jayant Patil and the topic of discussion predominantly was preparations for the upcoming civic polls. However, a few spoke about the possibilities of a merger and expressed concern that the issue was creating doubts in the minds of party workers across Maharashtra," said a senior NCP (SP) member, who attended the meeting. He further said that there were different views on such a move, but many insisted that the party's position should be clarified. Another member said the dilemma over joining hands with deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's faction could affect NCP(SP)'s pre-poll preparations. "Due to the lack of clarity, party workers in various districts still do not have the idea whether the party will contest with its MVA partners or there will be a reunited NCP in the electoral battlefield. Since the party's working president was not present in the meeting, state president Patil assured us that he would take up this issue with Pawar saheb and Supriya tai," he said. It was senior Pawar who dropped the hint of a possible reunion of the two camps but later told the media that his daughter Supriya Sule would have to take the final call in this regard. Amid such a scenario, the state party president called a meeting of its office bearers and other members in Mumbai.