Omkar Dattatray
The balloon of opposition unity seems to burst before it could achieve unity to fight the hegemony of the BJP in 2024.Those political parties and politicians who could not save their parties are nursing dreams to oust the formidable BJP from office in 2024 general elections .Given the feuds ,factionalism and open defiance and division in the political parties it seems impossible to fight the arrogant BJP in Lok Sabha elections. This time the state of Maharashtra -the Maratha state is in news for the infamous political battle within the NCP party. The high profile leader and the nephew of the NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar is in news not for anything great but for mutiny within the party as the NCP has split into two parts .It seems that Ajit Pawar has followed the footsteps of Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena and has revolted against the party and its chief and has switched sides and supported the Eaknath Shinde Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government and has secured the seat of deputy chief minister for himself.
Ajit Pawar has thus supported the NDA and has made it clear that his group of NCP will be part of NDA and this division of the NCP and open and brazen revolt of the nephew of the NCP chief has hurt the party Supremo and all his plans of apposition unity seems to be falling apart as when Shard Pawar could not save his home and party and how can he fight the BJP in 2024 polls is a million dollar question. It seems that even before the Bangalore conclave of the opposition parties, the Maharashtra happening is really an obstacle and it can be said that even before opposition unity there is much disunity in the opposition camp and all plans of the opposition unity seems to fell apart because the top and senior leader who could not keep his house united, cannot unite the whole opposition parties where there are differences and contradictions of ideology. It was no secret that there is factionalism and groupism in NCP rank and file and the last nail in the coffin of NCP is the mutiny ,open revolt and division of the NCP engineered by no else but by the nephew of the party chief and it is a matter of surprise and embracement for the NCP chief Shard Pawar and all his pious plans of opposition unity seem to have dashed to ground before it could take off and the sad political happenings of Maharashtra is likely going to adversely affect the unity moves of the opposition heralded by Shard Pawar and other opposition leaders. Earlier Sharad Pawar sacked NCP working president Praful Patel, MP Tatkara, removed their names from party membership register. NCP chief on July 3 sacked party’s working president Praful Patel and Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare who had sided with Maharshtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar in his rebellion for engaging in anti- party activities. The action came a day after Ajit Pawar joined the Eaknath Shinde -BJP government as deputy chief minister along with eight other NCP MLA’s who were inducted as ministers. Soon after being removed as NCP working president ,Patel announced the appointment of Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare as the party’s state unit chief ,replacing Jayant Patil and Mahasarhtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar as legislature wing leader. Ajit Pawar said that the party and MLA’s are were with him and the notice for disqualification against him and the eight newly sworn in ministers was meaningless. The deputy chief minister said he had the party with him and also its symbol clock belongs to him and his faction. Meanwhile several NCP workers visited party office in Mumbai and extended support to Sharad Pawar. A day after NCP stalwart Ajit Pawar joined the Maharashtra government as Dy CM with some senior leaders, several workers of the party visited its South Mumbai office and extended their support to patriarch Sharad Pawar. Ajit pawar has asked his colleagues to refrain from making public statements.NCP newly appointed state president Sunil Tatkare, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, NCP working president Praful Patil and Chhagan Bhujbul held a press conference at Sahyadari Guest House.
NCP working president Praful Patil said he has appointed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar as the leader of the legislature party. Ajit Pawar group will seek the symbol and the party and the Ajit Pawar rebellion is a big jerk and setback to NCP and its chief. Ajit Pawar will occupy the NCP and claim the party and its election symbol and it seems that Ajit Pawar is following the footprints of Eknath Shinde group of Shiv Sena. Ajit Pawar has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it is likely that few of the rebellious members will be inducted into the union ministry. It seems that at the back of all this power feud is BJP and the BJP has said that now it is triple engine government in Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar who is called the Bishampitamaha of the politics will have at least to solve the political crisis in NCP but the crisis has gone so far and it seems that Shard Pawar will find himself in trouble. Whatever is happening in NCP and Maharashtra politics can rightly be called the Kissa Kursi Ka and nothing more than that as politics is the game of numbers in a democracy. Sharad Pawar is in defensive mood and wants to give those MLA’s who revolted a chance to come back. It seems that the current political crisis and melodrama in Maharashtra is the outcome of the operation lotus of the BJP. It is however premature to say how will the politics unfold in the state of Maharashtra. Let us see which way the political wind will blow in Maharashtra and whose faction of NCP will be formidable and strong and only time will tell the truth.
(The author is a
columnist, social and KP activist).
