'Supriya is ready to take care of country': PM Modi's call to Sharad Pawar sparks political buzz

According to Pawar's close aide Vitthal Maniyar, Modi called the 85-year-old leader on Wednesday to enquire about his health following his discharge from Pune's Ruby Hall Clinic.

During the conversation, the Prime Minister reportedly asked Pawar to take complete rest and made a significant remark about Sule's readiness to take on greater responsibilities.

"This morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called to enquire about Saheb's health. He spoke to Saheb with great affection and respect and said, 'Saheb, please take complete rest. Supriya is ready now. Supriya and we will take care of the country. You rest; this is my request,'" Maniyar told reporters in Pune.

Pawar's response to Modi's remark

According to Maniyar, Pawar responded warmly, saying he had no concerns about the country as long as leaders like Modi continued working.

"Saheb told him, 'I am resting, and when all of you are there, I have no worries about the country. You keep working.' Saheb thanked him for enquiring about his health," Maniyar said.

Neither Modi nor Pawar has publicly confirmed the reported conversation.

The exchange has attracted attention beyond the customary courtesy call, particularly amid speculation that Sule could eventually join the Union Cabinet.

However, there has been no official announcement regarding such a possibility.

Sharad Pawar hospitalised after Maharashtra tour

Pawar was admitted to Pune's Ruby Hall Clinic on November 2 after complaining of a cough and pleuritic chest pain.

He had travelled through drought-affected parts of Maharashtra shortly before his hospitalisation.

His daughter, Baramati MP Supriya Sule, had earlier said that he was undergoing medical tests and that all his health parameters were stable.

Following his discharge, Pawar was scheduled to visit a hospital in Mumbai for a follow-up consultation.

NCP merger speculation returns

The reported Modi-Pawar conversation comes at a politically significant moment for Maharashtra, where discussions about a possible reunification of the two NCP factions have resurfaced.

The original NCP split in 2023 after Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's nephew, broke away with a group of party legislators and joined the BJP-led Mahayuti government.

The Election Commission subsequently recognised Ajit Pawar's faction as the official NCP, while Sharad Pawar's group adopted the name NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

The political landscape changed dramatically following Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28, 2026.

His wife, Sunetra Pawar, subsequently became the party's central leadership figure and took over as Deputy Chief Minister on January 31 in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.

Talks about bringing the two factions together had stalled after Ajit's death, although recent developments have revived questions about a possible reconciliation.

NCP leaders meet Amit Shah amid internal differences

Fresh political intrigue emerged after a delegation of senior leaders from Ajit Pawar's NCP met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday night.

According to reports, the delegation raised concerns about alleged unilateral decision-making by Sunetra Pawar and her son, Rajya Sabha MP Parth Pawar.

The absence of Sunetra and her sons, Parth and Jay, from the meeting also attracted attention.

The party subsequently sought to dismiss speculation about a merger following a core committee meeting in Mumbai on Monday.

"We will work collectively under the leadership of (Deputy CM and NCP chief) Sunetra Pawar. Merger with the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) has been ruled out," Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare said.

However, Tatkare acknowledged that the merger question had figured in the discussions with Amit Shah, adding that a decision would be taken at the appropriate time.

He also said the party wanted the Finance portfolio, previously held by Ajit Pawar, and would decide who should take charge of the department.

Supriya Sule's INDIA bloc role adds another dimension

Sule's political positioning has added another layer to the speculation.

She remains a prominent face of the Congress-led INDIA bloc and participated in the Opposition alliance's November 1 rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, which targeted alleged electoral irregularities and questioned the Election Commission's functioning.

A possible political rapprochement between the Pawar factions could therefore have implications beyond Maharashtra, particularly given the differing political alignments of the two groups.

Sharad Pawar has previously maintained that no merger negotiations are currently underway, although he acknowledged that discussions had taken place between NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil and Ajit Pawar.

He had also categorically ruled out a merger with the NDA-aligned faction in July.

Against this backdrop, Modi's reported remark about Sule being ready to take care of the country has added fresh fuel to speculation about the Pawar family's political future, even as the NCP's official position remains that a merger has been ruled out.