Pimpri-Chinchwad, June 17, 2025 — In a decisive statement that leaves little room for political ambiguity, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar has categorically ruled out any reconciliation with his estranged nephew, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Addressing party workers at a gathering in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pawar signaled a firm break from what he called “opportunity-driven politics,” making it clear that the ideological rift within the NCP is far from healing.
Without naming Ajit directly, Sharad Pawar condemned leaders who had aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating that such alliances were motivated by personal ambition rather than public service. His sharp remarks came amid ongoing speculation that the two factions of the NCP might consider a truce or even a merger in the near future. Pawar, however, dispelled such notions, stating that there is no room in his party for those who betrayed its founding principles.
Reaffirming his commitment to a strong opposition front, Pawar urged party workers to intensify preparations for the upcoming civic elections. He emphasized that the NCP must rebuild its strength from the grassroots, giving special priority to youth leadership and increased representation for women. His remarks were greeted with enthusiasm from the party’s loyal cadre, many of whom see Pawar as the ideological backbone of the original NCP.
The public fallout between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, who led a faction of the party into the BJP-led Maharashtra government in 2023, has deeply divided the NCP’s political landscape. While Ajit’s camp has attempted to portray its move as pragmatic governance, Sharad Pawar continues to frame it as a betrayal of the public mandate and party ideology.
As election season approaches and alliances continue to shift across Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar’s outright dismissal of any reunion sends a powerful message to both rivals and loyalists: that principles, not political convenience, will define his path forward.
