No formal proposal yet, say senior NCP(SP) leaders amid buzz over merger with Congress

There is nary ceremonial connection yet for the merger of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) with the Congress, elder NCP (SP) leaders told The Hindu on Friday (June 12, 2026).

“Nobody has spoken astir it yet with Sharad Pawar saheb or with [Baramati MP] Supriya Sule,” said a elder enactment leader.

While the Congress’s Maharashtra portion has refused remark connected speculations astir the merger, sources said a connection to this effect has been successful the pipeline for immoderate time.

‘Party brass to instrumentality call’

When asked, Maharashtra Congress president Harshawardhan Sapkal said, “This is thing our cardinal enactment volition look into. If asked, I volition convey my sentiment to the cardinal leadership, arsenic I person done successful the past.”

NCP (SP) State president Shashikant Shinde dismissed the speculation arsenic a “mere rumour”. He said the enactment had precocious celebrated its instauration time and had decided to intensify its conflict against the Bharatiya Janata Party.

‘Sinking ship’

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis responded to the merger buzz by terming the Congress a “sinking ship”. “The Congress is simply a sinking ship. Nobody volition measurement onto it. In politics, 1 doesn’t reply hypothetical questions. But fto maine archer you, if it happens, it volition lone fortify us,” helium said.

When reached for remark implicit Shiv Sena (UBT) person Sanjay Raut’s proposition implicit the merger of the NCP (SP) and the Trinamool Congress with the expansive aged party, the Baramati MP termed it Mr. Raut’s idiosyncratic opinion.

Later, portion speaking to reporters, she said that the Shiv Sena (UBT) was similar an “elder brother”, and her enactment would instrumentality enactment of his suggestion.

‘Congress not keen’

The State Congress enactment is said not to beryllium successful favour of the merger owing to the differences betwixt the 2 parties.

“It volition extremity up becoming a liability. We person an anti-Adani stance. For them, Adani is similar a household member. There are interior issues wrong their party, and everyone is disquieted astir the aboriginal of the NCP (SP),” said a elder Congress leader.

The person added, “There are concerns astir who the person volition beryllium aft Sharad Pawar. Different things are being speculated astir arsenic determination is unrest wrong their party. There is fearfulness that leaders and cadres mightiness determination to Sunetra Pawar oregon to the BJP.”