Maharashtra unit's announcement deserves importance especially when the entire RJP headed by the former Gujarat chief minister Shankarsinh Waghela has been merged into the Sonia Congress on Thursday Maharashtra RJP convenor Madhu Deolekar told The Financial Express that the Waghela had compulsions from his home state where he had failed to even open an account during 1998 Lok Sabha elections though it had secured 10 per cent votes. He added that with RJP's merger into the Congress, Waghela could continue to a force to reckon with and with at least seven more seats for Congress party in Gujarat where it had won 7 seats while 19 had been secured by the BJP in last parliamentary elections.

However, Deolekar said that the political situation was completely different in Maharashtrawhere Pawar who enjoys a huge following is in a commanding position after the formation of NCP. RJP's merger into the NCP would not have helped much for both the parties nationally, he commented.

He said that merger decision was taken after sereies of meetings with Pawar who has been an able administrator and mass leader. He added that NCP has been in a strong position to effectively take on the saffron BJP and Shiv Sena combine in Maharashtra.Deolekar who was a hardcore BJP leader and member in the state council during 1978 and 1988 lambasted at the BJP rule both at the state and centre and alleged that the party which used to claim with a difference has completely lost its identity and its ideals.