New Delhi, Feb. 1 -- Despite Ajit Pawar's death casting a shadow over Maharashtra politics and his wife Sunetra Pawar being elevated to the position of Deputy Chief Minister, rumours of a potential merger between the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and its Sharad Pawar-led faction, the NCP (SP) have continued to gain steam, with Sharad Pawar claiming that an announcement was slated to be made in February.

On Saturday, the senior Pawar admitted that discussions for a reunification of the two factions had been going on for months, with Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil leading the process.

"All discussions were held at their level, but it now appears the process may hit a roadblock following the [plane] accident. The talks were progressing in ...