India, July 19 -- A tough stand taken by the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP has slowed down the process of a merger between the rival NCP factions, with insiders indicating that any formal reunification is likely to take longer than initially expected. Party insiders said that during this interim period, the NCP (SP), which is part of the rival INDIA bloc, could extend issue-based support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), beginning with the controversial delimitation bill.

A close aide of NCP president Sunetra Pawar told HT on Friday that both Sunetra and her son Parth were firmly opposed to the merger. "They do not want NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and his daughter, Supriya Sule, the national working president of NCP (SP), to...