Raut told reporters in Mumbai that Congress needs to become stronger and leaders who had formed separate parties after leaving it should rethink their position in the present political situation. (Express Archive)A day after Congress leader Nana Patole claimed that Sharad Pawar had proposed the merger of his party with his, and leaders from the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) denied the claim, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday said leaders who left Congress in the past should make efforts to “come together”.Raut told reporters in Mumbai that Congress needs to become stronger and leaders who had formed separate parties after leaving it should rethink their position in the present political situation.“The Congress has to become stronger. Leaders who came out of the Congress and built their own parties, whether Sharad Pawar, KCR, or Mamata Banerjee, should understand the situation in the country. If we want to fight those in power at the Centre, everyone will have to come together,” Raut said.Raut urged Sharad Pawar to take the lead in making such an effort. “If Sharad Pawar takes the initiative and helps build a stronger Congress, parties like ours will also become stronger,” said the Sena (UBT) leader.Raut’s remarks came a day after Patole, the former Maharashtra Congress president, said Pawar had sent a merger proposal to his party leadership, but the process did not move forward. However, NCP (SP) state president Shashikant Shinde denied any such proposal was discussed in the party.Also Read | ‘Congress is a sinking ship’: Devendra Fadnavis mocks Opposition merger talkAsked about Raut’s statement, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, Pawar’s daughter, said, “Sanjay Raut speaks openly on issues related to the country. In a democracy, everyone has the right to express an opinion. He is like an elder brother to me. We will take note of the suggestions he has given.”Responding to the comments, senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said the Congress was a “sinking ship” and claimed leaders would continue moving towards the BJP instead.Story continues below this adBJP minister Girish Mahajan said if such a merger happens, it may help create a stronger Opposition in Maharashtra. “If Rahul Gandhi and Sharad Pawar come together, they may work well. There should be a strong opposition. Right now there is hardly any opposition left in the state,” he said.