A DAY after Sharad Pawar said he was stepping down from the helm of NCP, the party he founded, the Maratha leader's hometown of Baramati found itself in an unusual position – one of confusion and despair. While glum-faced workers and leaders kept their fingers crossed in the hope that “something positive” will emerge from the upheaval, local residents rallied around their “Saheb” who, they said, “should continue as long as he can”. Then, there were the doubters who warned that the NCP would fall apart if Pawar steps down. On Tuesday, as news spread about Pawar's decision, the region that stood loyal to the leader and his family for more than 50 years went into shock. Party leaders and workers rushed to the local NCP office and stayed put for hours, discussing and debating the “unbelievable”. On Wednesday, workers at the office were wary, preferring to wait and watch how their leader's move, and promise of a rethink, played out. “The news came as a big shock. There was a sudden rush to the party office. Some workers had tears in their eyes, many wanted to know the reason behind the sudden announcement,” Sambhaji Holkar, president of NCP's Baramati taluka unit, told The Indian Express. Randher Mohite (75), a longtime supporter of Pawar, said he had no doubt that “saheb should remain NCP president”. “The party will remain united. If Ajit Pawar becomes president, he will need time to get his act together,” said Mohite, adding that he had campaigned for Sharad Pawar during his first Assembly elections in 1967. “Pawar saheb knows me personally. He has visited my home several times. He fondly calls me Ranya,” said Mohite. “In 1967, I saw Pawar saheb and his wife Pratibha Pawar holding street-corner meetings and rallies. He won by a comfortable margin. Since then, I have been a Pawar family supporter.” Holkar, the local leader, said no one in Baramati had a clue about what was coming. "There was no meeting, we saw his speech on TV and were stunned. But we have now decided to accept any decision that is taken by the party. But still, there is an emotional attachment that party workers and leaders here have with Pawar saheb,” he said. While others in the NCP headquarters were wary of opening up, there was no such inhibition on the streets. From a fruit-seller to a shopkeeper, a housewife, and a farmer, the chorus was one: “Sharad Pawar is NCP, NCP is Sharad Pawar.” Santosh Khillare, who runs a medical shop, says the “party will disappear” if Pawar is not at the helm. “The way things are happening, I don't think the NCP will remain the NCP without Sharad Pawar. It is Pawar saheb who has been instrumental in the party's growth. As soon as I heard the news yesterday, my first thought was that the NCP will cease to exist. With so much speculation about Ajit Pawar and the BJP, how will NCP carry on?” he asked. His views were echoed by several others in Baramati. Sudam Shinde (54), a farmer from Khamgalwadi about 20 km from the city, said “about 100-150 gathered at our temple” after hearing about Pawar's decision. “I saw at least two or three of them crying, one was inconsolable. The people of my village have a deep sense of attachment with Pawar saheb. We respect and adore him. We strongly believe that he should remain NCP president,” he said. Rukmini Gadade, a fruit-seller who has been “doing business for 30 years” at Karbhari Square in Baramati, said, “Not just me, even my children were shocked. We are able to breathe freely and carry on with our business without fear of being evicted only because of the Pawar family. Even if Pawar saheb is in Mumbai, we feel his presence here as no one dares to remove us. He should head the party.” Anuradha Atkari, who runs a canteen in the city, said, “Pawar saheb should be allowed to relinquish the post if he says he cannot continue due to his age or illness. Otherwise, he should continue as he has held the party together from the beginning." But her mother-in-law, Shobha Atkari, was firm: “I think only Pawar saheb should head NCP. He should not step aside.”
