A series of meetings in Baramati, a cautious response from Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, statements from leaders across both camps, and interactions between leaders of the rival factions and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar have fuelled speculation about a possible NCP reunification. However, uncertainty continues to surround the prospects of a merger.While there have been indications of informal discussions between leaders of the two factions, sources maintain that no formal merger proposal has been placed before Sharad Pawar. The issue has also exposed differences within the NCP (SP), with MLA Rohit Pawar publicly opposing the idea.Advertisement“There is no discussion of a merger at all, and when the alliance is with the BJP, the question of a merger does not even arise. The Chief Minister’s statement that ‘both NCP factions will not unite without us’ is an expression of the arrogance of power,” he said.On November 10, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that the merger cannot happen “without our knowledge”. The NCP faction led by Sunetra, meanwhile, continues to be part of the BJP-led Maharashtra government.Following the death of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in January, The Indian Express was the first to report that the merger had been finalised and was expected to take place in the second week of February. However, the proposed unification was subsequently called off. NCP leaders, including Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, denied any such move was underway.AdvertisementIn recent days, however, Tatkare has acknowledged that the merger was indeed a reality and that Ajit Pawar had been working towards it, with Tatkare himself aware of the plan.What triggered latest speculation?The latest round of speculation gathered momentum after senior NCP leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi without Sunetra and her son, Parth Pawar.Three weeks after the meeting, none of the leaders has publicly explained what was discussed. Reports have also suggested that the meeting addressed concerns over Parth’s unilateral decision-making within the party. Following the meeting, Parth is understood to have agreed to consult senior leaders before taking important decisions.The developments have added to questions over the internal functioning of the NCP and whether the leadership is considering a broader political realignment.What has Sunetra said?The possibility of a merger also came into focus when NCP state president Sunil Tatkare visited Baramati around Diwali to pay his respects at Ajit Pawar’s memorial.During the visit, Tatkare also met Ajit Pawar’s mother and Sunetra. Asked about the possibility of a merger, he declined to comment, saying it would be inappropriate to make political statements at Ajit Pawar’s memorial. He added that Sunetra, as the party president, would take decisions on behalf of the party.At a press conference in Baramati on Wednesday, Sunetra neither confirmed nor ruled out a merger. “I know that all of you are curious about a different topic right now. However, today’s topic is different. When the time comes, you will come to know about everything,” she said.Her response has further fuelled speculation, although it offered no clarity on whether the party has taken a decision on the issue.Why have Sharad Pawar’s meetings drawn attention?Interactions between leaders of the two factions and Sharad Pawar have also contributed to the renewed merger debate.On November 5, NCP national working president Praful Patel visited Sharad Pawar at Breach Candy Hospital, where the latter was undergoing treatment. A video of their conversation subsequently went viral on social media. The exchange, which included a reference to sitting down for discussions after November 10, triggered speculation about a possible political understanding between the two sides.Parth also visited Sharad Pawar’s Mumbai residence on two consecutive days.During the same period, several senior NCP (SP) leaders, including state president Shashikant Shinde, senior MLA Jayant Patil, MP Amol Kolhe, Anil Deshmukh and Jitendra Awhad, met the NCP (SP) chief.While these meetings were linked to the possibility of a merger, the leaders concerned maintained that their visits were primarily to enquire about Sharad Pawar’s health.However, sources have maintained that no concrete merger proposal has yet reached Sharad Pawar. While informal discussions and interactions between leaders of the two camps are understood to be continuing, there has been no formal communication outlining the terms or structure of a possible unification.There are also unresolved questions over the leadership of a united NCP, the political position of the merged party and the future of its relationship with the BJP-led government in Maharashtra.