Pawar shoots down Shinde’s idea to merge Congress, NCP

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wed-nesday expressed disappointment at sen-ior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shin-de’s suggestion that the Congress and his party should merge as they were both “tired”.

Stating that Mr Shinde must have been speaking for his own party, the 78-year-old former chief minister said the NCP — which turned 20 on June 10 this year — had enough strength to take on divisive forces.  “I am the national president of the NCP. I’m very well aware of my party’s situation. Mr Sushilkumar Shinde must have been speaking about his own party,” said Mr Pawar, who was in Jalgaon district.