India, Nov. 10 -- Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sunil Tatkare on Monday stood by his statement that a merger between the two rival factions of the party would have taken place on February 12 had former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar been alive, even as speculation about a possible reunion continued.Buy Maps

Speaking to reporters, Tatkare said the position of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) on the merger issue had already been made clear by its senior leaders, including Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule and state party president Shashikant Shinde.

Clarifying his earlier remarks, Tatkare said, "I said that if Dada (Ajit Pawar) had been alive, a decision on a merger would have been taken on February 12."

Ajit Pawar, who ...