Mumbai | A day after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash, voices emerged within his party NCP on Thursday for a state cabinet berth for his wife Sunetra, while rival factions spoke of reconciliation and taking forward merger talks.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders also suggested that Sunetra Pawar should step forward and lead the outfit, which is a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance led by the BJP.

Senior NCP leader and FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal said it is people's wish that late Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha member, be inducted into the state ministry.

Asked about the NCP's future after the untimely death of Ajit Pawar, who was also the party president, Zirwal told reporters that people want "vahini" (sister-in-law, referring to Sunetra Pawar) to be made a cabinet member.

"We will talk to our leadership about it (inducting Sunetra in cabinet) and take a decision,'' Zirwal, who was a close confidant of Ajit Pawar, said after the late politician's funeral in his hometown Baramati in Pune district.

To a question on the possible merger of the rival groups, ruling ally NCP and Opposition NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), he noted, ''The two factions are already together (for local body polls). Everyone has realised that there was no point in remaining scattered and we have to be together.''

NCP leader and former minister Nawab Malik emphasised that final decision on the merger was to be taken by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar, who heads the NCP (SP).

"Now, I can not predict how politics will take shape. But it is everyone's wish that the entire family and the two parties should come together," Malik said.

Another NCP leader and Ajit Pawar confidante, Pramod Hindurao, maintained Sunetra Pawar should carry forward the legacy of her husband and take care of party workers.

Sunetra Pawar, who fought the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on an NCP ticket, had lost to Supriya Sule, NCP (SP) working president and Sharad Pawar's daughter, in Baramati.

NCP leader and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal told PTI that it was too early to discuss political issues when everyone is in shock over Ajit Pawar's sudden demise.

Bhujbal and his party colleague Praful Patel, who is NCP working president, visited Baramati for Ajit Pawar's funeral and also called on Sunetra Pawar to offer condolences.

NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse claimed a decision to merge both factions had been taken after two- and-a-half months of deliberations with the consent of Sharad Pawar.

Several rounds of talks had taken place and eight days ago it was decided to fight the February 5 Zilla Parishad polls on the clock symbol (of NCP), he said, adding the final call on the merger was to be announced after the elections.

"Now with the sudden turn of events, there is confusion on what will happen (on merger front). We have to wait for some days for clarity," said another NCP (SP) leader, who didn't wish to be named.

State NCP (SP) president Shashikant Shinde said Ajit Pawar had himself spoken about sitting together and taking a decision on unification of the two NCPs after municipal and local body polls in Maharashtra.

Preliminary talks had already taken place in regard to merger, Shinde stated.

''When we had met for an alliance of the two parties for Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad corporation elections (which took place on January 15), he (Ajit) had said lets sit together and discuss (merger) after Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls (scheduled on February 5)," he said.

"Ajit dada (elder brother) was an emotional man and wanted the two factions to come together and the (Pawar) family to remain united. He had felt enough was enough. If the family and parties want a reconciliation, we have no problem. Now, we have to see if we can fulfil what became his last wish," Shinde said.

Asked if the NCP (SP) was ready to join the ruling Mahayuti alliance led by the BJP, Shinde evaded a direct reply.

"Nothing can be said as of now. Lets see if there is a positive outcome of efforts towards fulfilling Ajit dada's wish (of merger). The issue of whether NCP (SP) leaders would like to be in the ruling alliance can be discussed later,'' he insisted.

NCP (SP) leader Ankush Kakade said Ajit Pawar had called him 2-3 times and urged him to speak to Sharad Pawar for unification of the two groups.

"We were to come together on December 12, Pawar saheb's birthday, but that didn't happen," Kakade said.

Ajit Pawar (66) and four others were killed when the chartered plane carrying them crashed at the Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday.

In July 2023, Ajit Pawar had joined the then-Eknath Shinde-led government, triggering a split in the NCP co-founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar.