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The monsoon session of Parliament is about to begin. Even before the beginning of this session, many MPs from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bala Saheb Thackeray) have become part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Despite this, two-thirds majority has not been gathered. In this effort, continuous efforts are being made by NDA and especially by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The next target in the sequence of these efforts is the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Sunetra Pawar led NCP is already a part of NDA but now efforts are being made to bring Sharad Pawar along with it. One reason for this is the need of BJP and the other is Sharad Pawar’s compulsion because he does not want to see the condition of his party becoming like Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), TMC and Shiv Sena (UBT).

Just a few days ago, Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule were denying such meetings. However, even then it was said that NCP (Sharad Pawar) was in talks with both BJP and Congress. Sharad Pawar himself wants to go with the Congress but the MPs say that by going with the government, he can get the work done in his area. One advantage of this will be for NCP (Sharad Pawar) that there will not be any kind of disunity in the party and everyone will be with the government. Now just before the start of the monsoon session, the stir has intensified because BJP has to increase its numerical strength.

Merge, support or something else?

BJP needs the support of maximum MPs and the leaders of both factions of NCP need the support of power. NCP is already in NDA, so now more eyes are towards NCP (Sharad Pawar). If there is a possibility of reshuffle in the Union Cabinet, then discussions are being held accordingly. NCP leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare recently met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. It is being said that after this, Jayant Patil from NCP (Sharad Pawar) also came to meet Fadnavis. Jayant Patil had also met Sharad Pawar a few hours ago, hence now speculations are being made that NCP (Sharad Pawar) has also started direct talks with NDA.

Even though Sharad Pawar is ideologically with Congress and wants to stay with it, now to save the party, he is forced to go with NDA. It is being said that his party’s MPs have made up their mind that they have to go with NDA only. This is the reason why Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena has also contacted some MPs and BJP is in direct contact with some. In fact, with the addition of 6 MPs, Shiv Sena’s position has become quite strong and Devendra Fadnavis is trying his best to balance it.

It is discussed that Devendra Fadnavis’s best effort is to get Sharad Pawar to merge his party with BJP and in return Supriya Sule was given a ministerial post at the Centre. Even in the Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis has his eyes on the MLAs of NCP (Sharad Pawar). There too, Fadnavis, who is wooing most of the 10 MLAs, wants to strengthen himself compared to Eknath Shinde so that there is no threat to his chair.

What will NCP (Sharad Pawar) get?

The party’s MLAs and MPs want to be with the ruling party so that they can bring government funds. In return, NCP (Sharad Pawar) can be given ministerial posts in the state and central cabinets. There is a discussion that Sharad Pawar’s party wants the same Agriculture Ministry which Sharad Pawar himself used to handle but BJP is not ready on this. However, apart from Supriya Sule, at least one more ministerial post can be given in the Center and one or two ministerial posts can also be given in the state government. All this is possible only when the green signal is given from Sharad Pawar.

In return, the benefit for BJP will be that its number of MPs will increase by 8 in the Lok Sabha and by one in the Rajya Sabha. This will also affect the morale of the opposition because Sharad Pawar is one of the biggest leaders of the opposition and if BJP is successful in giving the message that everyone can be broken, then it can be successful in changing the atmosphere.

What is Maharashtra’s numbers game?

A total of 17 MPs including BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena had won in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Whereas, Maha Vikas Aghadi of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) had won 30 seats and an independent candidate had won one seat. Independent MPs are also with Congress. In this way MVA has 31 MPs and NDA has 17 MPs. Recently, 6 Lok Sabha MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT) joined Shiv Sena and became part of NDA. In this way the number of NDA MPs came to 23 and the number of MVA MPs to 24.

Now there is discussion that 5 or 6 out of 8 MPs of NCP (Sharad Pawar) have decided to change sides. Even if Sharad Pawar does not come with NDA, then these MPs can join Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena or directly join BJP. It is being said that Supriya Sule and Sharad Pawar have become active to stop this breakdown. There was also a discussion about the merger of both NCPs but now it seems to have come to an end. It is being said that Sharad Pawar wants to go with NDA to save his existence and does not want to merge the party.