Dropping a bombshell, 82-year-old Sharad Govindrao Pawar on Tuesday announced he would resign as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president, a post he has held since the party’s formation on June 10, 1999. The announcement came in front of an entire galaxy of state NCP leaders at the launch of the second edition of Pawar’s autobiography Lok Maze Sangati in Mumbai. Many of these leaders broke down and urged the party founder to walk back his decision, which came days after news emerged about his nephew Ajit Pawar drifting towards the BJP. The sudden announcement by Pawar, who is considered an astute and pragmatic politician, is, however, not the only instance when a senior state politician has caught his followers unawares when faced with a crisis. Pawar’s close friend from the 1990s and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray had pulled a similar move almost three decades ago when an unprecedented attack on his style of functioning from detractors within and outside the Shiv Sena. Stung by the revolt of Chhagan Bhujbal and 17 other MLAs from rural Maharashtra, and jibes from critics within his party that he was turning it into his fief, Thackeray on July 18, 1992, wrote a signed article titled “Akhercha Jai Maharashtra (The final Jai Maharashtra)” in party mouthpiece Saamana, announcing that he was resigning from the party once and for all. “Even if one Shv Sainik stands against me and my family and says I left the Shiv Sena because of you or you hurt us. I am not prepared to continue as Shiv Sena chief for one moment,” the Sena founder wrote. The article had the desired effect and two days later, on June 20, a sea of Shiv Sainiks landed outside the Shiv Sena Bhavan to plead with Thackeray to reconsider his decision. Senior Sena leaders were heckled and manhandled by the crowd for not being loyal enough to the party founder and many of Thackeray’s potential detractors were cut to size. This, in effect, consolidated Thackeray’s grip on the party. Thackeray “magnanimously” acceded to the Sainiks’ requests and stamped his authority forever on the party, which swept into power nearly three years later in 1995 along with the BJP. There is still suspense about what prompted Pawar to announce his resignation and whether the Maratha stalwart will agree to reconsider his decision. However, by putting up a public show about his plans to not head the party he has sent the subtle message that he remains the most dominant force in the NCP.
