MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Sunday claimed that his nephew Ajit Pawar and other party MLAs had decided to join the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government against his wishes.
Interestingly, some of his confidants, including former Union minister Praful Patel, have backed Ajit Pawar. The NCP chief claimed that he has lost faith in his trusted lieutenants and that defeating them in the next election wuuld be his single-point agenda.
The rebellion is the biggest political crisis in Sharad Pawar’s 56-year-old legislative career. It has created a question mark over his role and importance in the efforts to unite the Opposition against the BJP. The future of Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra is also now uncertain.
However, the veteran politician said that he has faced many such situations in his career and has always overcome them.
After Ajit Pawar and eight NCP MLAs were sworn in as ministers in the Shinde government on Sunday, the NCP chief claimed that they have defied the party’s stand on alliance with the BJP. Indicating that his plans to bring about changes in the party may have prompted Ajit Pawar’s action, Sharad Pawar said, "The NCPs ideology does not allow an alliance with the BJP. Some of my colleagues have taken a different stand. I had called a meeting of all the leaders on July 6 where some important issues were to be discussed and some changes were to be made within the party. But before that meeting, some of the leaders have taken a different stand."
Sharad Pawar said that he was not worried about his party’s future but about the future of the NCP leaders who betrayed him. "This kind of rebellion is not new for me. In 1980, the party led by me had 58 MLAs. But most of them left me and I became the leader of only six MLAs, including myself. But two things happened in the elections five years later. First, my party’s strength increased. And secondly, barring three or four, all the leaders who had left me were defeated. It will be my single-point agenda to repeat that," the NCP leader said.
The NCP had 53 legislators in the Assembly and Ajit Pawar has claimed that all of them are with him; his letter to the Governor bears the signatures of 40 MLAs. However, Sharad Pawar said that many of the legislators present in the swearing-in ceremony called him to ensure that they had not defied the party.
"The MLAs called and told me that they were called for a legislative party meeting. They also claimed that their signatures were obtained, but they have not taken a different stand. The picture will be clear within two to three days," he said.
"I will believe them only when they tell the people what they have told me," Pawar Sr added.
Apart from Praful Patel, NCP’s general secretary Sunil Tatkare also attended the swearing-in ceremony. "Being the NCP president, I had appointed Patel and Tatkare. But they did not fulfil their responsibilities. Therefore, I have to take some action against them," Pawar said.
Patel justified the decision to join the Maharashtra government saying it was a well-thought-out decision. He also said that Sharad Pawar continued to be his mentor.
Sharad Pawar credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the split in his party. He claimed that Modi’s statements on the alleged corruption by some NCP leaders had made them nervous and they decided to side with the BJP.
"Two days ago, the PM spoke about NCP. He had said two things in his statement — that the NCP is a finished party and he mentioned complaints about irrigation projects and allegations of corruption. I am happy that some of my colleagues have taken the oath. From this, it is clear that all the charges have been cleared. I am thankful to him," Sharad Pawar said.
The NCP also said that he would not fight a legal battle with his nephew over the ownership of the party, but he will take the issue to the people. "I have received calls from several leaders. I got a call from Mamata Banerjee and Mallikarjun Kharge. They have extended their support. There is no problem if someone claims ownership of the NCP. We will go to the people and seek their support. I am confident they will support us. Tomorrow, I will take the blessings of (the late) Y.B. Chavan (former Maharashtra CM and Sharad Pawar’s mentor) and will hold a public meeting. I will travel as much as I can within my state and country and build relations with people," the 82-year-old politician said.
However, despite Sharad Pawar’s claim that he was not aware of his nephew’s plans, there was speculation that Ajit Pawar’s actions have his uncle’s backing. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray said that it was Sharad r Pawar’s plan.
"Sharad Pawar wanted to get rid of Uddhav Thackeray’s baggage. The first episode of it was seen today. His first team joined the power, and the second team will follow soon. The BJP was also not happy with the importance Eknath Shinde was getting in Maharashtra. They have also found a remedy for it," the MNS chief said.
