Journalism of Courage
Shiv Sena on Saturday said that the party was not trying to wean away any MLAs from the Congress-NCP alliance. However,it felt that the Pune Pattern Sena-BJP-NCP alliance in Pune Municipal Corporation in existence until recently was not a bad experience.
We are not going to make any efforts to woo certain sections of the Congress-NCP MLAs so that cracks develop in the combine. But it is also true that the Pune Pattern experiment was not that bad, said Shiv Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe,continuing the partys scepticism over speculation of Ajit Pawar trying to join hands with Sena-BJP along with his supporters.
Gorhe was replying to a question after participating in a discussion arranged by Pune Union of Working Journalists (PUWJ) over the results of the recent elections and possibility of new political equations.
NCP national general secretary Govindrao Adik,BJP state general secretary Vinod Tawade and Congress MLC Ulhas Pawar participated in the debate. When NCP decided to offer the post of deputy chief minister to Chhagan Bhujbal earlier this week,Ajit Pawar,a strong aspirant for the post,went unreachable for a day.
There were talks that he was in contact with leaders of the saffron combine. However,Ajit clarified that he was not disappointed over Bhujbals selection as deputy CM choice.
It was also said he might repeat the experiment of progressive democratic front as attempted by his uncle Sharad Pawar in 1978 by joining hands with Janata Dal to pull down the then Congress government. When a question was asked about the possibility of nephew repeating uncles experiment,Gorhe said it was an indication of what lies ahead.
If the Congress-NCP combine fails to govern the state,this experiment may be thought of. We had an experience of Pune pattern in Pune Municipal Corporation and that was not that bad, she said.
Tawade said BJP-Shiv Sena wanted to be an impressive opposition in the Assembly. He also said that Ajit Pawars stand was to follow Sharad Pawars footsteps. Sharad Pawar is his (Ajit Pawar) ideal and if the time comes where stage and chairs are ready,but the wedding is not happening owing to absence of bride and groom,we will definitely wait and watch the situation, he said.
Adik said the Congress-NCP bond was strong. There is no need for a new experiment. However,such experiments are good to propagate constructive programmes.
