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Don’t want to become UPA chairperson: Sharad Pawar
On Thursday, the Shiv Sena backed the NCP chief to possibly succeed Congress president Sonia Gandhi as the chairperson of the grand old party-led alliance.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said he is not interested in becoming the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), although he is ready to help if attempts are made to unite the opposition.
Also Read | Shiv Sena supports Pawar as UPA chief
Pawar’s statement came days after his party’s youth wing passed a resolution for his appointment as UPA chairperson.
“I am not going to take responsibility for leading the front. I have zero interest in it,” the NCP chief said in Kolhapur on Sunday morning. “However, if efforts are made in this regard (uniting all opposition parties), then I’m ready to support, help and cooperate.”
Congress president Sonia Gandhi is currently the chairperson of the UPA.
Taking the Congress along for a united opposition front would be a practical decision, Pawar said.
“When people say opposition parties should come together then the facts cannot be ignored. Mamata Banerjee’s party (TMC) is very strong in West Bengal and has people’s support,” he said. “Others also have their own power centres in their respective states, but the Congress is the only party that has pan India presence. Even though they might not be in power, Congress workers can be found in every district and village.”
“It (Congress) has a wide base and taking it along would be a practical decision,” Pawar said. “If that is considered, then something could happen out of it (united opposition front).”
Pawar said that he agreed with union transport minister Nitin Gadkari’s comments on the need for the Congress to be a strong opposition party.
“To strengthen the parliamentary democracy, it is necessary to have a strong opposition, but if we talk only about one party, then we may (end up having another Vladimir) Putin (in India). Today Putin and China (leadership) have passed resolutions that their regime will continue until their death, so we need a strong opposition to ensure we don’t have a Putin,” the former union minister said.
The veteran leader said West Bengal chief minister Banerjee wanted him and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to hold a meeting in Mumbai to discuss the possibility of a strategy to field a common candidate for the July presidential polls.
“We have yet to discuss it as other regional parties also have to be involved in it,” he clarified.
The NCP also accused the BJP-led central government of creating a religious divide for political benefit, saying that it was dangerous for the country.
The Kashmir Files movie is being used to promote animosity against minorities, Pawar said.
“This movie is not based on facts. It is meant to promote hatred among communities,” he said. “If the head of the country says this film needs to be seen, then it means that communal poison is being spread among the society and religious differences are being created among the people.”
“If we want to be developed, then there should not be any differences among people of various castes, religions and languages,” the leader said. “The feeling that we all are Indians need to be instilled; instead they (the BJP) are purposely trying to create religious divide, which is dangerous for the country. They will keep doing this because they have nothing to show for their work.”
In response to a question related to the 2002 Gujarat riots, he said the violence during the riots was far more terrible than the exodus of Kashmir pandits, and he has never heard the then chief minister of Gujarat providing any explanation on it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was chief minister of Gujarat at that time, but has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Pawar also slammed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray over his Friday speech where the latter took a pro-Hindutva stand. Raj Thackeray has been inconsistent in taking stands, Pawar alleged.
“He goes underground for a few months, comes back, gives a lecture and then again disappears for the next few months. Earlier, he used to oppose the BJP-led government, but now he has a change of mind,” Pawar said. “Now, it appears he is supporting the BJP. I don’t know what he will be doing tomorrow. He praised BJP’s rule in Uttar Pradesh where farmers were crushed under vehicles in Lakhimpur Kheri. I don’t want to comment if he believes in that sort of rule (in Maharashtra).”
The NCP chief knows that only the Congress is capable of leading the UPA, state Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe said. “Since the beginning, Pawar saheb has maintained that only the Congress can lead the UPA. The demands made by some are a different thing… Pawar saheb is aware of the fact that only Congress can lead the front,” Londhe said.
