No rain advantage for Sharad Pawar this time

The NCP workers' meet addressed by Sharad Pawar in Nerul, Mumbai, was a flop due to heavy rains. Pawar spoke briefly and left without speaking to the media.

NAVI MUMBAI: The much-awaited NCP workers’ meet in Nerul on Sunday, which was to be addressed by party supremo Sharad Pawar for the first time since the party split, flopped badly thanks to the unseasonal rains that lashed the city in the evening.

Sharad Pawar speaks in midst of rains during NCP (Sharad Pawar) Mahila Bachat Gat and Party Workers meet held at Bamandev Ground Nerul in Navi Mumbai. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

Pawar had garnered much sympathy and support in the last assembly elections when he addressed his supporters at a campaign rally amid heavy rains. The organisers had hoped for a similar ending at Nerul too: announcements were made that Pawar and the rain had a strong bond and this had helped the NCP earlier. However, there was no repeat performance at Nerul, where the attendance even before Pawar arrived was sparse, as the rains had already begun.

The NCP, which once ruled Navi Mumbai, was severely weakened after former minister Ganesh Naik quit the party with most of its corporators to join the BJP just before the 2019 assembly election. It suffered yet another setback after the latest split engineered by Ajit Pawar.

The Sharad Pawar faction had hoped to consolidate its strength with the party workers’ meet, which also comprised a women’s meet with stalls of products prepared by them and an award function to encourage women. Local leaders had said that Pawar would speak on several national- and state-related issues and also boost the morale of the NCP’s supporters in the city in the wake of the split.

Apart from the NCP chief, Supriya Sule and other top leaders were expected to attend. However, only Pawar arrived along with MLA Jitendra Awhad at around 7.30 pm. The venue, which was decked up for the occasion, had some women and fewer men, with most seats remaining empty. As Pawar arrived, the rains intensified and most people left the venue. The few who remained used chairs and banners at the ground to take shelter.

On the uncovered stage, Pawar and the others were completely drenched. The NCP chief asked for the welcome ceremony to be stopped and the programme to be started. NCP Navi Mumbai women president Saluja Sutar and newly appointed city president Chandrakant Patil spoke for a minute. Patil appealed to the supporters to not leave the ground, but the plea did not work.

Pawar then spoke for a couple of minutes, paying his respects to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on Constitution Day. He then told the women supporters, “You took up a good initiative in the form of stalls of your products. The rains have, however, caused inconvenience. However, never let disappointment take over. Continue to fight and you will eventually win.”

Pawar then thanked the organisers and his supporters for coming and left immediately without speaking to the media.