MUMBAI, July 26: In their own way, Congressmen are engaged in an amusing game of one-upmanship over former colleague Sharad Pawar. In keeping with true, though somewhat unnecessary party tradition, two arch Pawar rivals have camped in his personal fiefdom Baramati since Sunday - as constituency observers.Suresh Kalmadi and Govindrao Adik, both friends-turned-foes of Pawar, are apparently enjoying every moment of their work. Their stated single-minded objective: To assess the divide, whatever its extent, in Baramati and adjoining areas between the Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress. Their aim: To select or at least shortlist the man who can take on Pawar on the Congress symbol.Kalmadi and Adik are expected to complete their task by Tuesday and submit the constituency report to Pradesh Congress Committee president Prataprao Bhosale on July 28. Needless to say, their report is most eagerly awaited - not merely for the names of those who will challenge Pawar on his home-turf, but also for the current mood in Baramati.Pawar aides are fond of boasting that ``Saheb'' need never go to his own constituency to campaign; such is his command and influence over the area. Expectedly, MPs from nearby Pune, Khed and Kopargaon constituencies were among the first few to quit the Congress and throw their weight with the then fledgling NCP. ``This time, Saheb need not come to Baramati at all, after all, he has to carry the campaign across the State and in the rest of the country. He will win Baramati anyway,'' say staunch Pawar supporters from his constituency.Yet, this level of confidence is exactly what the Congress would like to break through. And, who better than Kalmadi and Adik, ask party leaders here. After all, both of them hitched their politics and political careers to Pawar's bandwagon decades ago, are familiar with his working style and know the Baramati area from closer quarters than anyone else in the Congress now.Adik and PCC chief Bhosale were among the first to take oath in Pawar's Progressive Democratic Front government that he formed in 1978 after splitting the Congress. Kalmadi was a close political-business associate and is credited with `launching' Pawar on the national stage after Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. All three chose to part ways with Pawar, with Adik being the last and latest.``Who would be better than Kalmadi and Adik as observers. They know who to tap for the current job,'' said a senior party leader. The party believes that between the three, they can stir enough dissent - even opposition - to Pawar to give him a few sleepless nights, even if he keeps his seat. ``We are looking at the future too,'' added the leader.
