According to NCP leader Praful Patel, there was a scenario where party founder Sharad Pawar was potentially open to aligning with the Maharashtra government led by the BJP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena last year. Patel revealed that around July 2, 2023, when Ajit Pawar, his faction, and several ministers took oath under the Maharashtra government, discussions had taken place regarding joining forces. In a subsequent meeting with Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on July 15 and 16, Patel claims they sought Pawar's blessings and expressed their desire to work under his leadership. Patel suggests that during a subsequent meeting between Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar in Pune, there was a perception that Sharad Pawar was "50 percent ready" to consider aligning with the BJP-Eknath Shinde's Sena government in Maharashtra.
The division within the NCP resulted in disputes between the factions led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar over the party's electoral symbol. Eventually, in February, the Election Commission ruled in favor of Ajit Pawar's faction, designating it as the 'real' NCP and assigning a new name, 'NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar', to Sharad Pawar's faction.
However, a spokesperson for NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar, Clyde Crasto, dismissed Patel's claims as "meaningless," emphasizing that they held no truth and were likely made to bolster the importance of the Ajit Pawar group, particularly as the BJP seemed to disregard them.
During an interview with ANI, Praful Patel highlighted Sharad Pawar's past "last-minute hesitancy," which, according to him, cost Pawar the opportunity to become Prime Minister in 1996. Patel asserted that despite his long-standing association with Sharad Pawar, the latter's hesitation often derailed significant opportunities. He cited an instance in 1996 where Pawar's reluctance reportedly prevented him from accepting HD Deve Gowda's suggestions, potentially leading to him assuming the Prime Ministerial role.
Regarding the opposition INDIA bloc, Patel criticized its lack of a concrete strategy to challenge the BJP-led NDA, dismissing the alliance as merely a "photo-op." He claimed that his attendance at the bloc's initial meeting in Patna revealed a lack of substantive planning, suggesting that the alliance's sole aim was to remove PM, Narendra Modi, from power without identifying a viable alternative. He questioned the bloc's ability to present a unified front, particularly given the conflicting interests of its constituent parties in states like Punjab, West Bengal, and Kerala. Patel urged the alliance to propose a credible candidate to challenge PM Modi effectively.
