Pawarmen plot 8212; and rejoice

MUMBAI, MAY 27: A-10, the official residence of Chhagan Bhujbal was a picture of celebration today. Bhujbal, Leader of Opposition in the ...

MUMBAI, MAY 27: A-10, the official residence of Chhagan Bhujbal was a picture of celebration today. Bhujbal, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council who was expelled from the Congress earlier this week for his allegiance to Sharad Pawar, presided over the proceedings, as well as strategy meetings. The cause for celebration? Christening of their leader8217;s new party as the Nationalist Congress Party.

It8217;s one step ahead in their battle. There8217;s extra emphasis on the word 8220;nationalist8221; as a small jubilant group makes merry both at the entrance to the bungalow and inside, in the innermost precinct where State leaders of the new party confabulate. Bhujbal is joined by the regulars 8212; Madhukar Pichad, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Pawar8217;s nephew Ajitdada Pawar, who is continuously conferencing either on the telephone or in person with Congressmen who he believes should be with the new party, Vasant Chavan who merely transferred his role of spokesperson from the Congress party to the new outfit, and a handful of others.

Their immediate strategy to counter and contain the Congress party has been worked out. Further to the controversy over the expulsions 8212; whether Bhujbal expelling some CLP members or the Congress party8217;s expelling him and 28 legislators is valid 8212; Bhujbal has called for a CLP meeting on May 31 at 1 pm in the Legislature Party office. He insists that, never mind the expulsion, he continues to be the leader of the party in the Legislature. Strange, since he is now with the Nationalist Congress Party.

The May 31 meeting is geared to challenge a similar meeting of CLP members called by the Congress party at 2 pm at party headquarters Tilak Bhavan. This meeting was finalised after party leaders returned from the AICC session yesterday. As a Congressman remarked, 8220;Doodh ka doodh aur pani ka pani ho jayega8221; since MLAs will be forced to decide which camp they belong to. Party leaders have already dubbed Bhujbal8217;s CLP meeting as invalid and have sent signals that those attending it will face expulsion.

There8217;s little to dampen the enthusiasm in Bhujbal8217;s camp. Preparations are underway for the June 10 meeting of the new party at Shanmukhananda Hall and Shivaji Park, group loyalists are being called across the State and pursued on their mobile phones if they use one to ensure that the meeting is a resounding success, fence-sitters are persuaded with logic or cajoled with emotion to divorce the Congress; no one is spared, not even Seva Dal workers in districts. Attendance is important, allegiance is absolutely primary.

And equally urgent is to find office space for the new Nationalist Congress Party in the city. It has to be centrally-located, equipped with the basic communication facilities, be large enough, preferably be near a maidan or public ground in case of a meeting and so on. Bhujbal, Pichad and company have no intention of vacating A-10. It will do just fine, but they need a back-up in case the Assembly Speaker decides that their expulsion is valid and deems they are not Congressmen, therefore not CLP leaders either.

Pichad expelled

On the recommendation of the Pradesh Congress Committee, the AICC has expelled Madhukar Pichad from the party for six years for anti-party activities. Pichad, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and a known Pawar-man, was attending to a health problem in Kerala. He returned yesterday and declared his support to Pawar. Following this, the PCC communicated to the AICC, which expelled him today.

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Meanwhile, the Pawar group notched up another resignation from the Congress party today 8212; Suryakanta Patil, MP from Hingoli. Also, Machhindra Kambli, the folk singer who fought the 1998 general election against Suresh Prabhu of the Shiv Sena in Konkan, declared his support for Pawar.