Sharad Pawar’s puzzling decision

NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s decision to extend support to the National Democratic Progressive Party (NDDP)-BJP government in Nagaland has come as a shock to his partners in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s decision to extend support to the National Democratic Progressive Party (NDDP)-BJP government in Nagaland has come as a shock to his partners in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The announcement was made by the NCP in Kohima when the three parties were vowing to fight the BJP together in Maharashtra, pointing out how the ruling party was a threat to democracy in India.

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The NCP won seven seats in Nagaland and emerged as the single largest party outside the ruling NDDP-BJP alliance which has a clear majority. Amid discussions on how to keep the flock together and who should be Opposition leader, the in-charge of the north-eastern states, Narendra Verma, reached Kohima. Told by the newly elected MLAs there that they would prefer to be with the government, he conveyed this to Pawar, who then decided to support the chief minister Neiphiu Rio-led government. Explaining his decision, Pawar told the media that Nagaland was dealing with an insurgency, and thus it was in the interest of the state to have an all-party government. He also insisted that his party was supporting Rio’s party, not the BJP.

This, however, has not convinced his allies in Maharashtra who remember a similar decision taken by Pawar after the 2014 assembly elections. Back then, the MVA constituents had contested separately. The BJP fell short of 23 seats for a majority. The Shiv Sena, with 63 seats, was preparing for a hard bargain when suddenly the NCP declared unconditional outside support for a BJP government, saying the state could not afford a hung assembly and another election.

The decision helped the BJP form the government without the Shiv Sena; the latter joined a few months later but without the power-sharing deal that Uddhav Thackeray wanted. NCP leaders point out how Pawar’s decision led to a rift between the two saffron allies and an irked Thackeray taking a hard line on the chief ministership after 2019, which resulted in the BJP-Sena split in that year even after contesting as an alliance. It also led to the formation of the MVA government in 2019. NCP leaders, justifying Pawar’s decision, say that the Nagaland decision could also lead to a similar rift between the NDDP and BJP.

The Nagaland episode has happened a few weeks after the revelation by Devendra Fadnavis that Pawar was well aware of the move to form a BJP-NCP government in 2019. While the Shiv Sena (UBT) has chosen not to react, Maharashtra Congress leaders have decided to react only if asked to by their leadership. For both the Thackeray faction as well as the Congress, sticking together is a political necessity under the current circumstances.

Revival in Tawde’s fortunes

Senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde must be thanking his stars that he took a decision to shift to national politics after his setback in Maharashtra in 2019. Earlier this week, he was appointed by the BJP as the convenor of a three-member team to work out a strategy to win more seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The team will identify candidates in constituencies where the BJP was second in 2019, work out a political strategy for them and also conduct research for a better connect with voters.

Tawde was one of the senior BJP leaders in a power tussle with Devendra Fadnavis during the latter’s chief ministership in Maharashtra. It ultimately led to him not getting a party renomination for the 2019 assembly elections. Tawde chose not to engage in confrontation, and instead asked to work at the national level. He was then given a slew of positions, including responsibility of the party organisation in Haryana. His performance was appreciated by the party top brass, and he was put in charge of Bihar soon after Nitish Kumar ditched the BJP and formed a government with the RJD. With its 40 Lok Sabha seats, Bihar is an important state for the BJP in the 2024 elections. Tawde’s aides say his latest assignment is a recognition of his organisational work.

No positions of power for women

On International Women’s Day, both houses of the state legislature organised a debate on women empowerment in Maharashtra. Congress legislator Praniti Shinde argued that the talk about empowerment in politics would make sense only if key positions of power were given. “Why are women ministers given departments like women and child development and not home or finance? In fact, why not a woman chief minister?” she pointed out.

The fact is that Maharashtra, which is considered a socially progressive state, has never had a woman chief minister or even a woman chief secretary, Mumbai municipal commissioner or Mumbai police commissioner despite there being capable women officers in the administration and police force. Reluctance on the part of male politicians seems to be the explanation.