Undeterred by crisis sharad pawar vows to rebuild party

Undeterred by crisis sharad pawar vows to rebuild party

NCP chief distances himself from his nephew Ajit’s rebellion, says things would be clear in the next few days; State party president Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad say cadre are with senior Pawar.

As senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, after months of speculation and dithering, finally joined the ruling Eknath Shinde-BJP dispensation along with other NCP leaders in Maharashtra, party president Sharad Pawar on Sunday distanced himself from his nephew’s rebellion and vowed to rebuild his party to play a vital role in the Opposition.

Unruffled by the bewildering turn of events, the NCP chief, a past master in tiding political crises, said he did not endorse his nephew’s actions, while stating that things would be clear in the next few days.

“Some days before, Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi had targeted the NCP [in Bhopal] by remarking that our party wallowed in corruption while mentioning the Maharashtra Cooperative Bank scam and the Maharashtra irrigation scam. Today, I am happy that the PM’s party has sworn in some members of the NCP as part of the government… I am thankful to the PM for having freed the NCP from his accusations,” quipped Mr. Pawar.

Commenting on the question of the future of the NCP, Mr. Pawar said the present crisis was not new for him.

“This situation may be new for some but not for me. In 1980, except for six of my 58 MLAs in my party, all had deserted me. I became the leader of just five MLAs and started touring Maharashtra with the objective of rebuilding my party from scratch. In the next elections, of those who had left me, all were defeated barring three or four... I have full faith in Maharashtra’s public and its youth and I will be touring the State again,” he said.

He said that since the surprise swearing-in of nine NCP leaders, he had been getting phone calls from leaders of several parties across the country, expressing solidarity in their fight against the BJP.

“I have not spoken with any of these nine [including Mr. Ajit Pawar] who took the oath. Only Chhagan Bhujbal told me that what was happening was not proper,” he said.

Criticising Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, Mr. Pawar said: “I am the party’s president and I had allotted some responsibilities to these people… I had appointed Mr. Praful Patel as general secretary [and party’s working president] recently. I want to tell them that they have not discharged their responsibilities and the people are not liking all this.”

“I had called a meeting of some top leaders [of the party] on July 6 and was to discuss some questions pertaining to changes in the organisation. Things will be clear before the public in next two-three days,” said Mr. Pawar.

‘Back Sharad Pawar’

NCP State chief Jayant Patil, along with newly appointed Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Awhad, held a press conference in Mumbai and said the party cadre stood united behind Mr. Pawar.

“Neither Mr. Pawar nor the NCP cadres support this move. They stand as one behind Mr. Pawar. But it is our belief that whenever such a crisis has erupted, Mr. Pawar emerges even stronger,” said Mr. Patil, a known rival of Mr. Ajit Pawar within the NCP.