States » WestPosted at: Nov 13 2026 5:20PM


Maha: Prithviraj Chavan questions potential Pawar-BJP alignment amid NCP merger speculation

Mumbai, Nov 13 (UNI) Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today stoked fresh political tremors in Maharashtra, declaring that if veteran leader Sharad Pawar were to align with the BJP after a six-decade-long political career, it would be seen as a matter of "personal self-interest"—though he doubts such a move will ever happen.
Weighing in on the relentless speculation surrounding a potential reunification of the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions, he delivered a candid assessment of how shifting alliances could reshape the national and state political landscape.
While acknowledging that the final decision rests entirely with the NCP chief, Chavan expressed strong scepticism that the Maratha strongman would cross over to the ruling camp. "If Sharad Pawar goes with the BJP after 60 years in politics, it would be his personal self-interest. But I don’t think he will do that," he said. However, he admitted that should both factions reunite and ultimately tilt toward the ruling coalition, "our strength would reduce slightly," noting that such a polarization would effectively leave the country with just two dominant ideologies.
Shifting focus to party history during the media interaction, Chavan also recalled the resilience of former Congress President Sonia Gandhi. He noted that following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, immense pressure was mounted on her to return to Italy. Instead, she chose to embrace India as her motherland, later stepping down abruptly from the party post only to rescind her resignation following intense appeals from the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
Chavan's remarks come as political circles remain abuzz with speculation over backchannel talks and realignment theories, further intensifying the pre-election narrative in Maharashtra.
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