States » WestPosted at: Sep 28 2026 4:37PM


NCP will not go with NDA; others may join hands with us: Sharad Pawar

Mumbai, Sep 28 (UNI) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar said here on Monday that his party will not ally with the BJP-led NDA, but other parties may join hands with the Sharad Pawar-led party, ending months of intense political speculation about a possible realignment with the BJP.
Speaking at a crucial party meeting held in Mumbai on Monday, the NCP founder said, “We (the Sharad Pawar-led NCP) will not go with anyone. We will not merge with any other party. If you want to come, then come with us. We will not join anyone”.
Sharad Pawar’s statement has ruled out all rumours of a rapprochement with the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP or any larger alliance with the BJP-led NDA.
His statement has clarified that the Sharad Pawar-led NCP is committed to the Congress-led opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra and the broader INDIA alliance at the national level.
Sharad Pawar also insisted that his decision was final and that his party is now prepared to fight all coming political battles on its own terms.
The meeting on Monday brought together senior functionaries of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and served as a platform for the NCP founder to criticise the Fadnavis government’s handling of the severe drought situation in Maharashtra.
Acknowledging that a drought has been officially declared in 265 talukas across Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar pointed to significant shortcomings in the relief measures announced by the administration.
He specifically highlighted that the suspension of agricultural loan recovery did not amount to a loan waiver, and warned that farmers would still carry the burden of debt into the next year, leaving them ineligible for fresh credit.
Speaking about horticulture, Sharad Pawar stated that the assistance announced for orchards excluded the banana crop cultivated extensively in Jalgaon, Parbhani and Nanded.
Sharad Pawar emphasised that agricultural labourers, Dalits and tribal communities must not be left out of the relief package.
“Although drought has been declared in 265 talukas of Maharashtra, there are many shortcomings in the government's assistance. The government has suspended the recovery of agricultural loans, but this does not mean that loans have been waived off. The burden of repaying loans will remain with farmers," Sharad Pawar said.
“There will be loan arrears to be paid next year, due to which farmers will not get any new loans. Assistance has been announced for orchards, but again it does not include the banana crop grown in Jalgaon, Parbhani, Nanded. Also, agricultural labourers, Dalits and tribals should be deprived of this assistance," Sharad Pawar said.
He stated at the party meeting that he has already written two letters to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urging rectification of these deficiencies, and he warned that if the grievances he mentioned in his letter to the CM are not addressed, his party would not hesitate to take to the streets and launch an agitation.
Drawing on his own experience as union Agriculture Minister during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Sharad Pawar recalled how the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh granted him special powers to make drought-related decisions without seeking cabinet approval at every step.
“During the drought, the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had given me special powers to take all drought decisions and not seek the consent of the cabinet for it. At that time, we managed to go to Jalna and save the mango orchards by paying Rs 25,000 per acre in one night and saved hundreds of acres of crops. Today, this government needs to take similar bold decisions,” NCP founder Sharad Pawar said.
Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, who is also the NCP’s National Working President and Lok Sabha MP, reiterated the NCP’s combative stance, observing that the organisation was not in any trouble but was instead in a mood to fight battles.
“Taking into account the current situation in the state, it is more appropriate to be in the opposition and raise the issues of the people than to sit in the cabinet,” NCP National Working President and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule said. UNI BA SAS
Tags: #NCP will not go with NDA; others may join hands with us: Sharad Pawar
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