MUMBAI, July 5 -- Amid the growing speculation about the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP)'s talks with the Congress regarding a merger, it has emerged that a majority of the former's MLAs and MPs are in favour of joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) instead. Party insiders said that this preference was revealed during an internal survey. The NCP (SP) is also reportedly seeking two ministerial berths as part of any deal with the NDA, one in the Maharashtra government and the other at the Centre. The insiders also divulged that only two MLAs and two MPs expressed reservations about joining the ruling alliance and were in favour of merging with the Congress. The NCP (SP) currently has 10 MLAs, eight Lok Sabha MPs and one Rajya Sabha MP. It is currently part of the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi along with the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT). Together, their strength is only 46 MLAs-twenty from the Sena (UBT) and 16 from the Congress. A strong section within the party believes that instead of becoming part of the NDA by merging with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, the Sharad Pawar faction should negotiate directly with the BJP. Such an arrangement, they argue, would secure a better political deal while allowing the party to retain its separate identity. "The MLAs have mounted considerable pressure on the leadership to change its stand," said an NCP (SP) insider. "They prefer the NDA, as the BJP state government is not releasing development funds for opposition MLAs' constituencies. They have conveyed to the leadership that if this continues, they will not be able to get re-elected from their constituencies." Those opposing joining the NDA argue that the party's elected representatives secured their mandates by campaigning against the BJP and its allies, and that aligning with the ruling coalition would amount to a complete ideological reversal. They believe that such a shift would be politically and ethically difficult to justify to the electorate. "There are several issues on which people are unhappy with the government, and anti-incumbency is likely to peak by the 2029 elections," said a former minister, explaining the contrary view within the party. "The BJP was the single largest party in the last election, but its tally is expected to decline in the next one. That could create a significant political vacuum and present a major opportunity for us." The larger group within the party, however, maintains that joining the NDA would offer benefits that go beyond securing development funds and ministerial berths. "There are several senior leaders in the NCP who are upset about the way Ajit's son Parth Pawar is imposing his own decisions on the party, and the silent consent of Sunetra Pawar," an NCP (SP) leader said. "Their first preference would be to join the NCP (SP), but what is holding them back is that it is in the opposition. If we switch sides, it could open the floodgates to defections in our favour." The NCP (SP) leadership is yet to take a final call, with party president Sharad Pawar maintaining complete silence. An NCP (SP) MP also revealed that he had heard that CM Devendra Fadnavis was opposed to any such move. Soon after the death of NCP president Ajit Pawar on January 28, the Sharad Pawar faction admitted that there were talks with the deceased leader for a merger of the NCP factions. Maharashtra NCP (SP) president Shashikant Shinde said, "All these rumours are being floated by certain people. There is not even an iota of truth in them."...