Recent developments over the farmers' agitation and predictions of Congress's demise have pushed the veteran NCP leader to the forefront as a much-needed option and a possible PM contender
Sharad Pawar
Octogenarian Sharad Pawar doesn't stop making Indian politics exciting. Responsible for forging the three-party post-poll alliance in Maharashtra with the sole purpose of toppling the BJP's juggernaut last November, he is back in contention for leading opposition parties at the national level, which could make him a strong contender for the prime minister's post, the position his NCP colleagues say was denied to him twice in the last decade of the 20th century when he was in the Congress. Upsetting as that might be for the Congress, a pivotal partner in the Maharashtra formation that is idolised by the entire opposition flock that aspires to do something similar wherever the situation demands.
Pawar promptly denied the news that he would be replacing Congress president Sonia Gandhi as the UPA chairman. However, he hasn't commented on the claim made by his trusted lieutenant Praful Patel about Pawar not making it to the PM's office because of the Congress's coterie politics, maybe because many prominent people and leaders have endorsed it much before Patel said it publicly in a news article he wrote on the occasion of Pawar's 80th birthday on Saturday. Good things must be said while celebrating a hero like Pawar, but why should a thing that might upset the arrangement be said when everyone should be together now? Recently, some Congress leaders were upset when Pawar had made a remark on Rahul's leadership. They had issued a caution that the ruling partners must avoid criticising the Congress leadership if they wanted the MVA to remain stable.
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The NCP bringing Pawar to the fore for the PM's post isn't new, but the current situation is vastly different from the 15 years the party spent with the Congress in alliance in the state and Centre. The Congress was a big brother then. Pawar had realised the importance of going with the Congress barely six months after breaking away from the parent party instead of going with the Shiv Sena-BJP. He reinforced his roots and established a second line of leadership.
Twenty-one years later, including a five-year low, the NCP is on the rise again, thanks to the 80-year-old veteran's masterstroke in the winter of 2019. The NCP has appealed to Maharashtra's 48 Lok Sabha segments to stand in support with Pawar to make him the PM in 2024. On the contrary, the Congress has dropped to a new low of performance and has become vulnerable. In Maharashtra, the MVA arrangement did revive local leaders and workers to some extent, but they aren't what they were 20 years ago. The party's failure and success are linked with the showing by the leadership which is consistently accused of inconsistency, not only by the others but also by their own leaders. However, amid all frustrations, the Congress cheered recently when it won two seats in Maharashtra's legislative council polls -- one of it came in Nagpur, the very heart of the BJP's ideological parents. It also won a seat in Pune where it competes directly with the NCP for dominance. Many wonder if the ploy is to keep the Congress under pressure by reminding it of its 'glorious' past and predicting a 'grim' future for it. Some Congress leaders have alleged a conspiracy to destroy the Congress. A counterview comes from within a section of the Congress: "do we really need outsiders to destroy the party?"
The talk of Pawar taking over the UPA started when he led the opposition's delegation to the president last week over the farmers' protest. The Congress's former president Rahul Gandhi and several other prominent leaders accompanied him. Being a leader who commands respect not only because of his understanding of agricultural issues but also because of his acceptability among all opposition parties, the delegation looked comprehensive and powerful. When the farmers' stir over agriculture bills gives the opposition a strong hope of denting the Modi government, politics in Delhi is being keenly watched because protesters and the government haven't reached any agreement and don't appear to be reaching one anytime soon. The farmers say whatever it takes in terms of the time, tenacity and tussle, the agitation would be taken to its logical end. The government is working on multiple fronts. It doesn't want the agitation to spread its wings nationwide and lose steam at the Delhi border itself. Obviously, the opposition's job would be to derail the government's moves and it can't do this without being together. Despite the farmers' claims of being apolitical, the frontal organisations of several political parties have participated in the agitation. That's because expecting political parties to stay away from such massive public movements is unrealistic. After all, farmers are the biggest vote bank in the country and no party can afford to ignore them. For the opposition, Pawar appears to be a better and acceptable choice to create a pressure group because demands made through such massive agitations are discussed at multiple levels between various people. The farmers would be holding parleys with the government. On the other front, the government should also be discussing the issue with the opposition, presumed to be led by Pawar, who the BJP has accused of doing a U-turn over farm bills.
Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore
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