Several leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday backed Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar to take charge of the party, with some even pushing for her induction into the Maharashtra cabinet, perhaps even as deputy chief minister.
The demands came on the day the mortal remains of her husband, Ajit Pawar, the deputy CM of the state, who died in an aircrash on Wednesday, were laid to rest in Baramati.
People familiar with the matter said formal discussions within the party will only begin after the three-day mourning period declared by the state. Ajit Pawar also held the finance portfolio.
Senior NCP leader and sitting minister Narhari Zirwal said people were backing “vahini” (sister-in-law, referring to Sunetra Pawar). “Many people told us that ‘vahini’ should be brought into the mainstream,” he said. “We will place this view before the party leadership and take a decision accordingly.”
The people cited above said a group of lawmakers from the party plan to meet Pawar in the next few days. On Thursday, party working president Praful Patel and senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal held a closed-door meeting with her.
{{/usCountry}}The people cited above said a group of lawmakers from the party plan to meet Pawar in the next few days. On Thursday, party working president Praful Patel and senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal held a closed-door meeting with her.
{{/usCountry}}NCP vice-president Suresh Ghule wrote to Praful Patel and state chief Sunil Tatkare, demanding Sunetra’s appointment as deputy CM and NCP chief. “A meeting should be called immediately to announce this,” Ghule wrote.
Former minister and recently appointed NCP spokesperson Anil Patil told HT, “We have been working under the leadership of the Pawar family for over two decades and are ready to do so when Ajit Dada is no more.”
When specifically asked if Sunetra would take over the NCP’s leadership, he replied, “Not a single leader will oppose her name.”
A section of the party, however, believes that while Pawar should be named party president, a senior and experienced person should be appointed deputy chief minister and finance minister. To be sure, portfolio allocation is the chief minister’s prerogative.
This section is pitching for Sunil Tatkare as deputy chief minister. “Tatkare would be the right choice for the position, considering his experience,” said a senior NCP functionary, asking not to be named. “He was a minister for 15 years during which he also held the finance portfolio, apart from water resources and energy among others.”
Tatkare belongs to the Other Backward Castes (OBC) community. But some NCP members believe that only a Maratha, preferably someone from the Pawar family, should lead the party. Around 50% of NCP’s 41 lawmakers are from Maratha community.
Senior NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leaders also met Pawar at her residence on Thursday, leading to speculation that merger talks between the two factions could be resumed. Those who met her included Jayant Patil, state president Shashikant Shinde and former home minister Anil Deshmukh.
On Thursday, senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil revealed that Ajit and him had held several meetings to merge the two factions. “There was also a meeting in which Ajit Dada and senior leaders of our party were present,” he said. “We had decided to contest the zilla parishad elections in alliance and announce the merger after the election results.”
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This was echoed by senior NCP (SP) leader and former minister Rajesh Tope, who said that legal steps towards the unification of the two factions were in process before Ajit Pawar’s death.
Zirwal also said that the two factions of the party were already moving towards unity. “There is no point in remaining divided,” he said. “Leaders and workers realise this. Maharashtra expects the NCP to stay together.”
However, with Ajit Pawar’s death, the dynamics have changed and there is no guarantee that the talks will resume. “In the previous scenario, Ajit Pawar would have been the national president and Supriya Tai (Sule) would have been the working president. In the changed circumstances, will Supriya Tai accept Sunetra Vahini’s leadership? That is a big question,” said a senior NCP (SP) leader, requesting anonymity.