India, Feb. 4 -- Almost a week after Ajit Pawar's death in a fatal plane crash shook the political landscape of Maharashtra, the merger of two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions - one led by Sharad Pawar and another led by his nephew Ajit - has emerged to be a flashpoint as the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief snubbed Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over his merger claims.

Sharad said that the merger talks were held between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil and not with Fadnavis, who earlier said that Ajit would have shared the merger talks with him if it was really happening.

Sharad was speaking to reporters in Baramati on Wednesday where said said NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil and his nephew and NCP chief Ajit Pawar had be...