Maharashtra CM Fadnavis on Sunday said that if talks about the merger of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions were at an advanced stage, the late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar would have informed him, reported the PTI.

Speaking to reporters, CM Fadnavis said that Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash in Baramati in Pune district in Maharashtra on January 28, shared all important political matters with him.

He said he had no information about any proposed merger date.

His statement came a day after NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar claimed that February 12 had been finalised to announce a merger between the two NCP factions.

Sharad Pawar also said the process could now face hurdles following Ajit Pawar’s death. A video of a meeting between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar held on January 17 has since gone viral on social media.

‘No Merger Without BJP’s Knowledge’

CM Fadnavis said he was unaware of any such discussions or dates.

“Can merger talks be finalised without our knowledge? We have no information about February 12 being the announcement date,” he said.

He added that while the NCP is an independent party, it is part of the BJP-led alliance and is expected to consult allies before taking such major decisions.

Responding to reports that the BJP opposed the merger, CM Fadnavis said his party had not opposed anyone.

“If Ajit Pawar was working on a merger, would he have done so without taking the BJP into confidence? Would he have prepared to leave the NDA when he was politically stable? He shared everything with me,” the Chief Minister said, the news agency reported.

Finance portfolio to stay with me till state budget: Fadnavis

Days after Ajit Pawar`s death, CM Fadnavis on Sunday stated that state the finance ministry, a portfolio earlier handled by late NCP chief, would now be with him until the budget, reported the PTI.

On Saturday, Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, becoming the first woman to hold the post.

She was given charge of excise, sports, minority development and Aukaf departments, but not the finance and planning portfolio earlier handled by her husband.

CM Fadnavis, who now has finance portfolio, said “I will present the state budget. Preparing a budget is not just about delivering a speech; it requires multiple departmental meetings. It was not possible to immediately hand over this responsibility to Sunetra Pawar. We will take a decision on the finance portfolio after the budget session," according to the PTI.

Sunetra Pawar’s oath-taking

Addressing criticism over the speed of Sunetra Pawar’s oath-taking, CM Fadnavis said that the NCP would respond to it.

He added that political decisions are often shaped by circumstances, citing the example of Rajiv Gandhi being sworn in as Prime Minister in 1984 even before Indira Gandhi’s cremation.

The Chief Minister also said he will not campaign for the February 7 Zilla Parishad elections in the state following Ajit Pawar’s death, as per the PTI.

He explained that public meetings often lead to political statements, which should be avoided during this period.

Meanwhile, on the firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s home in Mumbai earlier on Sunday, CM Fadnavis said that the scooter used by the assailants has been recovered and the person involved has been identified.

(with PTI inputs)