Mumbai: The late-night meeting that senior NCP politicians Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare had with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday continues to reveal faultlines within the party as it has now emerged that NCP chief and deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar was unaware about the meeting. NCP (SP) politician Jayant Patil was also present at Fadnavis’ official residenceVarsha at the time.Amid reports that Sunetra Pawar had asked Tatkare for an explanation on why she had not been informed, Tatkare said he had not felt the need to inform her since the meeting was regarding issues related to his Lok Sabha constituency.“I have good tuning and communication with Sunetra ‘vahini.’ This was not a political meeting, or we would have discussed it in advance. I had asked the chief minister for time to discuss matters in my constituency,” Tatkare told the media on Thursday. “I have been in politics for decades, and I understand protocol,” he added.Tatkare said that Patel’s presence was a coincidence as he had also sought time with Fadnavis. He also said that they did not meet with Jayant Patil. The presence of the three politicians at Fadnavis’ official residence led to speculation about whether a mergerbetween the NCP and NCP (SP) was being discussed. However, Patil had clarified that he had gone to meet Fadnavis regarding the disqualification of the mayor of a municipal council in his constituency.Tatkare emphasized that there was no proposal regarding a merger at this stage. “Talks were at their final stages when Ajitdada was alive. After his death, NCP (SP) leaders themselves said that the talks had come to a full stop. After that, there has been no new proposal from them,” he said.On the NCP (SP)’s stand that it may support the NDA’s delimitation bill if it met its conditions, Tatkare said, “Supporting a bill does not mean joining the NDA. On so many matters of national importance, the opposition has supported bills and they have been passed unanimously.”The rift in the leadership of the NCP has become public this week, with Patel speaking of the need for “corrective measures.” After Ajit Pawar’s death, Sunetra Pawar and her son, party MP Parth Pawar, have been on one side with the latter playing a larger role in managing party affairs. Patel and Tatkare, who are seen as challengers to her leadership, have been finding themselves increasinglysidelined.Regarding the finance portfolio which had been taken over by CM Fadnavis after Ajit Pawar’s death, Tatkare said, “We will be meeting Fadnavis with Sunetra ‘vahini’ to discuss this.”He also said that the issue of the notice sent by the NCP’s national secretary Sachchidanand Singh, which posed a challenge to Sunetra Pawar’s leadership of the party, would be discussed in Delhi where Parth Pawar, Patel and Tatkare would be meeting forthe Parliament session. “This has already been discussed at the party’s core committee meeting,” he said.
