Following Sharad Pawar’s resignation as party president, all eyes are now focused on the new leader who will take the helm of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Even though the NCP patriarch’s declaration was expected, the party men were unprepared when he decided to stand aside. Ajit Pawar, Pawar’s nephew and the leader of the opposition in the Legislative Assembly, met with Pawar after the announcement and begged him to reconsider his choice. Ajit informed the reporters a few hours later that his uncle will reconsider the choice in two to three days.
Sources claim that Pawar’s action is a blatant sign that there is a rift in the NCP.
“Ajit Pawar’s resentment is now obvious. Not in this manner should you quit. A succession strategy must be in place. Sharad Pawar is himself upsetting the party with this unexpected action. He hasn’t been able to control his nephew. Ajit Pawar needs to have some discretion in his leadership. He is a good leader, but Sharad Pawar has entirely disregarded him in favour of elevating his daughter to the position of national leader. Additionally, Sharad Pawar needs to step down at some point, the source adds.
The NCP is in a shambles, and the leadership is in disarray, the insider continues. Sharad Pawar’s supporters are aware that if Ajit gains control of the NCP, their political careers would be ended. Sharad Pawar is aware that Ajit is uncontrollable and has a strong head on his shoulders. Now, the NCP’s resentment is coming to the surface. The NCP is considering breaking apart.
Party insiders claim that the patriarch has made a concerted effort to prevent the NCP from being forgotten by voters in future elections as a result of the party’s loss of its position as a national party.
Recently, the NCP also suffered defeats in elections for Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC) in a number of hitherto stronghold areas. The NCP has not entered newer voting sections, despite its strengths in the cooperative sector.
Political observers point out that the Pawars, uncle and nephew, are suffering from a serious credibility issue, which is hindering the NCP’s efforts to expand its influence.
Pawar’s revelation comes shortly after recent political events involving Ajit, who, per political rumour, has been hanging out with Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. According to sources, the clan Pawar’s clan secret power struggle may have also contributed to the decision to resign as party leader.
His book Lok Maze Sangatee (Part-II), which was published on Tuesday, has a lengthy discussion on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s efforts to eradicate the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
Even though they are fierce, the Pawar clan’s intra-family political disputes have mainly remained hidden. The fourth generation of the dynasty, cousins Rohit and Parth Pawar, are involved in a conflict similar to the one between Ajit Pawar and Surriya Sule over gaining a foothold in the NCP’s second rung. Underneath the outward appearance of following the family patriarch’s lead and the warm layers, there is a layer of ambition that is hardening and pushing its way to the top.
Like Rohit Pawar, a current MLA, Parth, the son of Ajit Pawar, is Sharad Pawar’s grand-nephew. According to sources, Ajit Pawar’s rage is a result of his dissatisfaction at being used as a pawn by his uncle. He has left his choices with the BJP, especially with Fadnavis, open like a “unguided missile.”
The NCP, in contrast to other political parties, has a powerful second tier leadership. These second-tier leaders have been trained and taught by Sharad Pawar, and they are patiently awaiting their day to take the helm. Ajit Pawar’s dissatisfaction has grown as succession discussions inside the NCP have gained traction and Supriya Sule has assumed a more senior leadership position. In the event that Sule is chosen to take her father’s place in politics, Ajit, who leans BJP, would not give up without a struggle.
Sule has a difficult decision regarding the party’s leadership given that Ajit Pawar is supported by about 40 of the 53 NCP MLAs. The NCP has not been successful in establishing a government in Maharashtra on its own since it was founded. In order to gain power, it has always depended on other parties, first the Congress Party and then the Shiv Sena-Congress in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combination.
The NCP may benefit from Pawar Saheb’s decision to reconsider his statement. A top NCP politician warns that if the party doesn’t change, the power struggle would split the group as it did in the Shiv Sena.
