Maharashtra deputy CM Sunetra Pawar paid a condolence visit to the family of the late PSO Vidhit Jadhav (ANI photo)

MUMBAI: Monday saw claims and counter-claims about meetings to plan a merger between the two NCP groups — with Sharad Pawar’s faction confirming the meetings and more voices in Ajit Pawar’s outfit denying them. Pawar Sr, meanwhile, hit back at CM Devendra Fadnavis over his statement that Ajit Pawar would have informed him if there were merger talks. Pawar Sr informally told journalists that those who were not present at the meetings would not know what transpired.NCP MP and state president Sunil Tatkare asked on Monday, “We had taken a collective decision to join the BJP-led NDA and people of the state have stamped their approval of Ajit dada’s decision in the 2024 assembly elections. Those speaking of a merger should answer whether they are fine with it.”NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal agreed with the view that if merger talks were serious, BJP would have been informed. “Today, Sunetra Pawar is the deputy CM. She will speak to others and come to a decision.”“We are with the BJP govt and with NDA. If such talks were held, BJP would have to be informed and decisions would have to be taken about who would be part of NDA at the Centre,” Bhujbal said.He added Ajit Pawar had not informed him about any merger talks. NCP minister Hasan Mushrif also said he was not present at any of the talks. “As far as I know, there was no meeting in which leaders of both parties were present.”But NCP (SP)’s Jitendra Awhad said, “It is 2000% true that merger talks were on.”