Sharad Pawar: Congress like zamindars who feel they still wield power

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole reminded Sharad Pawar of his “betrayal” back in late 1990s after his ‘zamindar’ remarks

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has likened ally Congress to the impoverished landlords who reminisce about their past glory. Pawar’s remarks in an interview have evoked sharp reaction from leaders of the grand old party, who reminded the NCP chief of his “betrayal” two decades ago.

In his interview to Marathi web channel Mumbai Tak, Sharad Pawar likened the 136-year-old Congress party to the zamindars in Uttar Pradesh, who continue to think that they are landlords and have the power to rule (HT File)

In his interview to Marathi web channel Mumbai Tak, Pawar likened the 136-year-old party to the zamindars in Uttar Pradesh, who continue to think that they are landlords and have the power to rule. He said after the Land Ceiling Act came into force, landlords lost their huge land parcels, making it difficult for them to even maintain their havelis.

“Every morning, they get up looking at the land and boast that the land parcels used to be theirs. The Congress has a similar mindset. They should accept the reality,” he said.

He, however, added that the Congress is the only party with pan-India presence to provide an alternative to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“It [Congress] is in government in five-seven states in the country, but has become weaker. Today’s Congress is nowhere close to the one we have seen in the past. The Congress should put up an alternative (for BJP) by bringing other opposition parties on the same page for stability. It should take the development programme forward. But this is where is has failed,” he said.

Pawar added that if the Congress accepts that it has weakened, it will help in bringing all the opposition parties together.

The Congress has sharply reacted to Pawar’s remarks. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole reminded Pawar of his “betrayal” back in the late 1990s.

“The leaders who were entrusted with power by the Congress leadership eventually betrayed it. The Congress was never a party of landlords. The party gave its land to several leaders for upkeep, but they grabbed it over the years,” he added.

Patole said that the next prime minister of the country in 2024 would be from the Congress.

BJP, too, has reacted in support of what Pawar has said. BJP leader and leader of opposition in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, said Pawar has shown the Congress the mirror and the grand old party should now realise that it cannot survive on its past credits.

“There could be no apt description of the Congress other than the one by Pawar saheb. The party [Congress] likes to live in feudal mindset and believe that they can rule the country like an emperor by keeping the power with one family. Pawar saheb has shown them the mirror, saying look, we are in democracy and the zamindari has ended. You will have to go to the people and work for them,” he said.