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Will Ajit loyalists in western Maharashtra accept Supriya as president?
The NCP has a total 53 members of legislative assembly (MLAs) from Maharashtra of which, 30 hail from the western region, many of whom support Ajit Pawar as they see a more secure future with him
While there is speculation about Baramati member of parliament (MP) Supriya Sule being considered for the post of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president after her father, Sharad Pawar, announced stepping down from the role, there is also some amount of unease among the supporters of heir apparent, Ajit Pawar, in western Maharashtra.
So much so that some legislators and NCP leaders from the Pune, Satara and Solapur districts – who are Ajit Pawar loyalists – said that they are keeping a close watch on developments in Mumbai and prefer not to say anything, just yet. The NCP has a total 53 members of legislative assembly (MLAs) from Maharashtra of which, 30 hail from the western region, many of whom support Ajit Pawar as they see a more secure future with him.
Two weeks ago, amid rumours about Ajit Pawar’s next political move, Anna Bansode, an MLA from Pimpri near Pune, had openly said that he would support Ajit Pawar. “If Ajit Pawar is made the NCP president, we will be very happy. He has all the qualities to lead the party,” Bansode said.
Another leader from Satara said that between Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule, the former has the capabilities to lead the party and contribute to its expansion. “Saheb (Sharad Pawar) is the seniormost leader in our party and has led the organisation so far. Moving further, if he sticks to his word and relinquishes his post, Ajit dada is the most suitable person to lead the party. Ajit Pawar has all the capabilities to lead the party as compared to Supriya Sule although she is a nice individual,” the leader said on condition of anonymity.
In Katewadi near Baramati - Sharad Pawar’s native place - several youngsters are rooting for Ajit Pawar to lead the party. “Sharad Pawar is still our leader but if there is a change in the pipeline, Ajit dada should be made national president,” a local resident from Katewadi said.
On the other hand, senior NCP leaders such as Chhagan Bhujbal and Vidya Chavan and Congress leader Yashomati Thakur are pitching for Supriya Sule to helm the party. Bhujbal even recommended the Baramati MP’s name as successor to Sharad Pawar at a gathering of leaders at the Y B Chavan Centre, Mumbai, on Wednesday. The former deputy chief minister of Maharashtra also said that the responsibility of the state should be given to Sharad Pawar’s nephew and leader of the opposition, Ajit Pawar.
Vidya Chavan, too, endorsed Supriya Sule’s name saying, “Sharad Pawar has said he will rethink his decision but at the same time, I would like to state that Supriya Sule as an MP for around 15 years has worked well and has been groomed by Sharad Pawar himself. She has also worked for various social organisations and has the capacity to work more than Sharad Pawar.”
Supriya Sule is a three-time Lok Sabha MP and has been representing the Baramati constituency. Daughter of Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, was born on June 30, 1969 and first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2006 before she contested the elections from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency which was earlier represented by her father in 2009. Her winning streak continued in the 2019 polls in which she won a fiercely fought battle. Within the NCP, even as Ajit Pawar is seen as the heir apparent, Sule’s growing stature has led to speculation over her next possible assignment.
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An NCP worker from Pune wrote a letter in blood, appealing to Sharad Pawar to withdraw his decision and not make him and other party workers ‘orphans’. Sandip Shashikant Kale, 32, an auto-rickshaw driver, said he is an NCP worker and a ‘big fan’ of Sharad Pawar. Kale also heads the Saheb Foundation, named after Sharad Pawar, which carries out social work.
