As ‘Sunetra Parva’ begins, why is NCP attacking Sharad Pawar?

On Thursday, Sunetra Pawar kept her maiden address to party workers simple, promising to fulfil the dreams of her late husband, Ajitdada, and reiterating her commitment to his secular ideology founded on the Shahu-Ambedkar-Phule ideology. As she stood with a massive poster of Ajit Pawar serving as the backdrop, the imagery struck an emotive chord.

‘What right do they have?’

What came as a shock to many within the party was the political aggression displayed by the senior leaders. Their tone and language carried a renewed sharpness—an attack directed at Sharad Pawar.

Senior leader Praful Patel minced no words when he slammed the NCP (SP). “How can they dictate how we should run our party?”

State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare was quick to follow: “In 2004, when the undivided NCP emerged as the number one party, Ajit Pawar could have become the CM. By conceding the CM post to the Congress, we denied the CM role to an able leader, Ajitdada.”

Senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal also chimed in. “Even before the final rites were performed, they (NCP (SP) had started talking about merger. Why such a hurry? They started politics, which made the NCP expedite the process of Sunetra Pawar’s swearing-in. Now, what right do they have to ask questions to Sunetra Pawar and the NCP?” he said.

The united stand by the three senior leaders has ensured a seamless transfer of power to Sunetra Pawar and prevented the reins of the NCP from slipping into the hands of Sharad Pawar. By formally announcing Parth Pawar as the official NCP candidate for the Rajya Sabha, the party has also channelised his political aspirations.

Ironically, Sharad Pawar’s return to the Rajya Sabha rests on a collective decision by the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) as the NCP (SP) only has 10 MLAs. Without the Shiv Sena (UBT), which has 20 MLAs, and the Congress, which has 16 MLAs, the NCP (SP) cannot win a Rajya Sabha seat if it wants Pawar Sr to continue as his term ends on April 2.

With all 40 MLAs and the lone NCP MP giving consent for a change of guard in the party, it is clear that nobody wants to remain out of power. Many believe that being an alliance partner in the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition means smooth sailing for the next 3.5 years. This would also mean access to government funds and programmes to develop their respective constituencies.

Undercurrents of unease

Yet, the uncertainty is far from over. An NCP minister, who was in favour of the merger, requesting anonymity, said, “On the surface, everything seems calm. But below this calm is unrest. People are worried about the future.”

Recalling the events of June 1999, he said that when Sharad Pawar decided to form a separate party, many did not openly disapprove. “Bonds with Congress were beyond political consideration. It was emotive, spanning generations. Still, a majority of leaders decided to join the NCP as they trusted the leadership of Sharad Pawar,” he explained.

Even when Ajit Pawar parted ways in July 2023, the majority who joined the NCP did so after informing Sharad Pawar, he said. Many within both NCP and NCP (SP) privately revealed: “We never made any distinction between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. For us, the two separate parties existed only on paper. We always believed the differences were circumstantial and that a merger would happen sooner rather than later.”

An NCP (SP) minister privy to the merger discussions revealed that while the talks had reached an advanced stage under Ajit Pawar’s leadership, uncertainty remained over Sharad Pawar’s own position. “We cannot say for sure whether Sharad Pawar himself would have joined the NDA or not. He might have chosen to remain neutral. We don’t know,” the minister said.

He added that what was certain was Ajit Pawar’s urgency to complete the merger, driven by two clear considerations. “He wanted a merger to take place in the presence of his mother, Ashatai, and Sharad Pawar, to wipe off the stigma of parting ways with his uncle. Second, Ajit Pawar believed that if the factions remained separate, the BJP would eventually weaken and finish them politically,” he said.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar strongly countered allegations of a desperation to merge. “Who wants a merger? I have made it clear from Day One that we don’t want a merger. What we are fighting for is justice for Ajit Pawar. Shouldn’t the people of Maharashtra know what led to his accident?” Rohit asked.

With the MVA perceived as a weak Opposition, young leaders of the NCP (SP) under Rohit Pawar believe there is ample opportunity to consolidate themselves as a strong force. Meanwhile, with the NCP factions fighting, the BJP sees its strategy of preventing a merger between the two factions becoming a reality.