Sangma in statute panel upsets Pawar

Sangma8217;s apparent 8220;defiance8221; of the party president8217;s directive may have plunged the party into a serious crisis and heightened already existing differences. That the party was taken by 8220;surprise8221; by Sangma8217;s acceptance of the new job is apparent by Pawar8217;s unscheduled visit to Delhi and the abrupt cancellation of Monday8217;s routine afternoon press briefing, held byparty spokesperson and general secretary Devindrnath Dwivedi.

Sources close to Pawar said the NCP chief was 8220;very upset8221; not only by Sangma8217;s decision to join the panel but the manner in which he did it, without even first consulting the party high command on the move.

On his arrival in Delhi, Pawar told reporters that he would 8220;discuss8221; with Sangma the issue of his nomination to the review panel but declined to comment on whether he would press for his withdrawal from it.

8220;I have some reservations about the nomination. I will discuss it with Sangma either today or tomorrow8221;, he told reporters dismissing suggestions that the government move had landed the NCP in a crisis as the party had earlier opposed review of the Constitution.

Replying to a volley of questions, Pawar sought to suggest that his party8217;s opposition was to any change in the basic structure of the Constitution as also in parliamentary democracy.

He said now both the government as also chairman of the commission Justice M NVenkatchaliah have made it clear that these two thingsbasic structure and parliamentary democracywould not be altered.

On the other hand, Sangma stood by his acceptance of the job on the panel. Speaking to The Indian Express tonight, he said his nomination to the commission was in his individual capacity and had nothing to do with the party8217;s views on it. 8220;Review of the Constitution is a continuous process and there is no harm if a commission is appointed for this8230;I will be representing the interests of the North-East and the tribals, not the party in the panel,8221; he said.

The reason for the NCP8217;s discomfiture over Sangma8217;s nomination is more than apparent: the party has been the most strident among the Opposition parties in its criticism of the government proposal to review the Constitution.

In fact, in the resolution passed by the working committee last month, the party had unequivocally defended the Constitution as it stood and made clear that a review if at all could be done only by aParliamentary Committee and not a government-appointed commission. Sangma, a founding member of the NCP, was present in the meeting and the resolution reportedly had his approval before being passed unanimously.

This is not the first time that Sangma has caused red faces in the NCP and has been 8220;accused8221; of pursuing his own agenda within the party. He had earlier strongly opposed forming a coalition government with the Congress in Maharasthra and then gone on to topple the Congress-led coalition in his native state, Meghalaya, with the support of the BJP.

Another matter of concern for the NCP which could spell trouble for its coalition with the Congress in Maharashtra is Sangma8217;s insistence that he would raise the issue of foreigners not being allowed to occupy high public offices including that of the Prime Minister in the review panel. 8220;This issue was first raised by me and I am going to definitely bring it up in the review panel,8221; he said tonight.

The Congress is already upset over hisappointment. Party spokesperson Anil Shastri told reporters that his nomination in the Commission was 8220;unfortunate8221; because not only is he a political person but his views on the foreigners issue are biased and prejudiced.