Finally, power to Pawar

Astute party members spotted the right time to replace Chhagan Bhujbal with Ajit Pawar as the deputy Chief Minister

After missing the chair last year, Ajit Pawar seems to have got his due after the Nationalist Congress Party announced that he would be the next deputy chief minister. Pawar may also get the Home portfolio.

The decision that comes now is the culmination of the happenings and deliberations within the NCP over the last few years.

At the time of Bhujbal's anointment as DCM, it was agreed that he would hold the post for a year and half and Ajit Pawar would succeed him.

Since the opportunity for the change presented itself with the unseating of Ashok Chavan, the party lapped it up to do away with Bhujbal. Top NCP leaders persuaded Bhujbal to give up the post and propose Pawar's name.

"In any other case, the party would have had run into trouble to affect such a change in the government. Now, it has been done relatively smoothly," said an NCP leader.

Last time, Pawar was not made Deputy Chief Minister as the NCP chief did not want to antagonise Chhagan Bhujbal.

Also, it did not want to project itself as a party of Marathas, and Bhujbal, an OBC leader, had garnered support among the masses.

In keeping with the party's current needs, Pawar has built a substantial support base among the MLAs in the party headed by uncle Sharad Pawar. He was seen as a natural heir.

Crestfallen

Although it appeared that Bhujbal was crestfallen with what had happened, it is reported that he will still continue in the cabinet.

Alongside Pawar's ascension, the party seems to have made other calculations as well, including the fact that it needed to retain its hold in Western Maharashtra.
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Hence, the new CM-designate, Prithviraj Chavan, a Maratha from the same region, is just the right man for the job.

And Pawar seems to be the perfect foil to Chavan, the one new to Maharasthra, given the fact that he is aggressive and active in state politics.