Wadekar overstepped amp; was stumped

Although Wadekar would deny that he played for himself8217;, large-scale cross-voting in Friday8217;s elections may have another story to tell 8212; that there could be some susbtance in the charges levelled against the candidate who enjoyed support of the Mahaddalkar group, which emerged as the real winner by claiming eight posts. It doesn8217;t need a mathematician to calculate what the Mahaddalkkar and Joshi panel 7 posts voters could have done to Wadekar8217;s fate.

MCA insiders say it was unbecoming of Wadekar to describe Pawar and his contemporary, former India cricketer, Dilip Sardesai as 8220;as thick as thieves8221;.

8220;I am unable to fathom why Wadekar resorted to this wrong un8217;. It could have been justified as a retort if Pawar or Sardesai were to use derogatory remarks against him,8221; a MCA member, who believes he is a very good friend of former MCA vice-president, told Atilde;sup2;f40Atilde;sup3;The Indian Express on condition of anonymity.

On the other hand, a soft-spoken Pawar kept his head down. He kept his cool and avoided rhetoric which he could as a politician. But he summed it up succintly when he said, 8220;these are very small elections for me.8221;

But big or small, the Maratha strongman has always been a shrewd and astute player 8212; be it the political or sports playground. And the satrap went ahead with the cleverly-planned propaganda, backed by a manifesto that impressed a larger number of MCA affiliates.

Wadekar supporters also seemed to have lost sight of the fact that they too had elected Joshi, a politician, as the MCA chief when they questioned Pawar8217;s credentials. Wadekar8217;s appeal: 8220;Since I8217;m a cricketer, I can manage MCA better that a politician8221;, failed to cut ice. Pawar outwitted Wadekar on this front also. His appearance before the Madhavan committee investigating the match-fixing also saw Wadekar lose some support.

However, for Pawar too it should be a wake up call in that the election results must have shook his complacency. Contrary to expectations, he failed to sweep the elections, barely managing to win a post more in the form of Shripad Halbe, who is believed to have persuaded Pawar to run for the presidentship.

The newly-elected MCA president knows it too well that if he has to run the body smoothly, he has to have the support from the other body members as also Wadekar. The able administrator and manipulator that he is, the new MCA chief was very warm in inviting his so called8217; rivals to join him to make Operation MCA8217; a success.

A chastened Wadekar also seems to have learnt a lesson or two from his defeat on a bouncy8217; turf. 8220;As in every election the better man wins. My services would always be available for the association,8221; he remarked soon after announcing the election results in absence of Manohar Joshi.

Mumbaikars only hope that it turns out to be quot;all-is-well-that-ends-wellquot; affair.