A close associate of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar claims that Pawar was actively pursuing a merger of the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions before his death. The associate, Kiran Gujar, stated that Pawar had indicated the merger was imminent just days before a fatal plane crash.
The incident had occurred in Pimpri city on Saturday in apparent protest against minister Patil's controversial remark about Dr BR Ambedkar and social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule.
The police probing the ink attack on Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil in Pimpri Chinchwad city will summon a television journalist again in connection with the case, a top officer said on Monday.