Sharad Pawar

Pawar had earlier indicated he would not enter the fray but made a last-minute U-turn by expressing his desire to contest. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena, which had been staking claim to the seat for one of its own nominees, has withdrawn its demand.

The polls will take place across 10 states-- Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar. The elections have been necessitated as the incumbent members are retiring this year.

Sharad Pawar, president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), was admitted to Ruby Hall Clinic on February 9 after developing chest congestion.

In a post on X, Supriya Sule said Sharad Pawar would require a five-day course of antibiotics and added that his other vital parameters were normal.

Earlier, Ruby Hall Clinic Hospital’s Dr Abhijeet Lodha said Pawar’s condition was stable and that preliminary examinations had been completed.

He has some complaints of cough and difficulties in breathing, the office of Sharad Pawar said.

He also said that after the recent civic elections in the state, a decision was made to pursue the unification of the two parties

His remarks come at a time when political circles in Maharashtra are abuzz with speculation about a possible thaw between Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar, who leads the NCP faction that joined the BJP-led Mahayuti government. Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash at Baramati Airport earlier this week.

According to party sources, Ajit Pawar's widow and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar felt compelled to step into a leadership role, despite personal hesitation.

Earlier, there were reports that Ajit Pawar wanted to give a 'gift' of reunion to uncle Sharad Pawar on his birthday (December 12), but the merger did not materialise at the time.

Sharad Pawar says NCP merger talks with Ajit Pawar were underway for months but are now on hold after his death, denying knowledge of Sunetra Pawar’s oath.

While the party appears open to relinquishing the powerful Finance portfolio that Ajit Pawar held, the NCP is digging in its heels on the Deputy CM post to retain its relevance within the Mahayuti.

The NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar is currently part of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, while the NCP (SP) is a member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress party

As Baramati prepares for the final farewell, the sheer scale of the political turnout underscores both Ajit Pawar’s influence, and the vacuum his sudden death leaves in Maharashtra’s power corridors.

The box was located in the rear of the aircraft and now will be handed over to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for further investigation

A photo of Ajit Pawar taken hours before his Mumbai–Baramati flight crashed has surfaced as leaders pay tribute and final rites are set in Baramati.

Sharad Pawar said Ajit Pawar’s death in the Baramati plane crash was a pure accident, ruling out conspiracy and urging people not to politicise it.

Notably, the coming together of the two NCP factions for the Maharashtra civic polls triggered speculations of a possible merger between the uncle and nephew.

The NCP (SP) failed to win a single seat in 14 of 29 municipal corporations, a historic low that could paradoxically aid Ajit Pawar in consolidating control over a reunited NCP.