Mumbai: With the Parliament session beginning on Monday, there is growing speculation about whether the NCP (SP) will support the NDA govt’s delimitation bill and also whether it will merge with the NCP. While on Saturday, NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil once again claimed that no talks were on regarding a merger, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule stated on X that she had a bad throat and had been advised not to speak.Over the past week, Patil met with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, leading to rising speculation about a merger.However, NCP party leadership is not in favour of it, and this has become a hindrance in the talks. “Also, if the NDA gets the support of the NCP SP for its delimitation bill, they will be pushing for a merger,” said a senior NCP leader.He said that the party MPs and MLAs were firmly behind NCP SP leader Sharad Pawar.Meanwhile, party MP Supriya Sule stated on X: “Just met Dr Milind Kirtane regarding my throat and voice. He had diagnosed a little swelling in my throat and advised complete bed rest. I will be undergoing voice therapy and had been advised to avoid speeches, interviews and prolonged speaking for the next 1/2 weeks.”Regarding the delimitation bill, Sule has stated that the NCP SP might support it on the condition that there would be an equal 50% rise in the Lok Sabha seats in each state.
