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HT This Day: July 19, 1978 -- Pawar, five ministers take office
The first ever non Congress Ministry in Maharashtra, comprising a team of six, headed by Congress rebel Sharad Pawar, 38, was sworn in at a crowded and noisy function at Raj Bhavan today.
The first ever non Congress Ministry in Maharashtra, comprising a team of six, headed by Congress rebel Sharad Pawar, 38, was sworn in at a crowded and noisy function at Raj Bhavan today.
The other five in Mr Pawar’s team are: Mr Uttamrao Patil, 57, originally of the Jan Sangh and now leader of the Janata Legislature Party, Mr Sunderrao Solanke, 50, who quit the Congress along with Mr Pawar yesterday, Mr Arjunrao Kasture, 44, who left the Congress and joined the Janata long before the State Assembly elections, Mr G. A. Deshmukh of the PWP and Mr Nihal Ahmed. 51, originally a Socialist and now a Janata member.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered to Mr Pawar by the Governor, Mr Sadiq Ali, Other Ministers read out the oaths in the presence of the Governor.
The large crowd at the oathtaking ceremony was in a “mela” mood and repeatedly raised “zindabad” slogan for Mr Pawar, the Janata Party, democracy and Mr Nihat Ahmed. Most prominent among those present were the Janata president Mr Chandra Shekhar and party general secretary, Mr Nanaji Deshmukh.
Congress-I, Congress and Forward Bloc members did not attend the function.
Cracker were burst right in the Raj Bhavan by supporters of the new Government.
Later in the evening, Mr Pawar told newsmen that he would expand the Ministry next week, raising its strength to 25 or 27 All interests, including the weaker sections of society, Muslims and Adivasis, will get representation in the Government He added that CPl-M which is supporting his Ministry has yet to inform him whether or not it would join the Ministry.
Mr Pawar hoped that Congress MPs would soon follow in the Parliament, the lead given by him and other members of the Congress to join hands with democratic progressive forces, including the Janata Party, to fight the reemerging authoritarian forces led by Ms Indira Gandhi.
He said, the people in the country must take serious notices of the activities of Mrs Gandhi who was trying to create situation in which the faith of the people in democracy could be violently shaken Mr Pawar expressed his inability to answer most of the questions on the plea that he could not make a policy statement when the State Assembly is in session.
PTI, UNI add:
Mr Pawar said that there would be no Deputy Chief Minister. A location of portfolios to his colleagues had not yet been finalised This would be done soon When told that the Assembly and the Council would re-assemble on July 20 and the Ministers would be required to answer questions he said that any Minister could reply since the Ministers had joint responsibility.
The Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) which formed the new Government in Maharashtra today will be a loose legislature front, comprising the Old Janata alliance plus the Maharashtra Vidhimandal Purogami Congress Paksh of Mr Sharad Pawar, the front’s sources here said.
The immediate necessity of the front was to unite the various parties for legislature purposes so that the majority comprising the new Government could have a legal framework for its functioning.
The parties comprising the front-the Janata Party, the Maharashtra Vidhimandal Purogami Congress Paksh, the Peasants’ and Workers’ Party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Kamble and Khobragade groups of the Republican Party of India, the Maharashtra Socialist Congress and the Maharashtra Muslim League--maintain their identity otherwise.
The Front, comprising the Janata Party, PWD. CPI (M) and the Maharashtra Progressive Congress Legislature Party-formed yesterday by Mr Shand Pawar and his supporters in the Congress was launched in the presence of Janata Party president Chandra Shekhar.
Mr Pawar was unanimously elected the Front’s leader.
Mr Pawar’s name was proposed by Maharashtra Janata Vice President Mr RA Patil and seconded by Mr G. A Deshmukh (PWP), Mr P. K Kurne (CPI-M), Mr S B. Chavan (Maharashtra Socialist Congress). Mr Ratnappa Kumbhare (Maharashtra Progressive Congress Legislature Party) and Mr D. S. Desai (Janata).
Speaking after the ceremony Mr Pawar said the Front had chalked out a minimum programme for the uplift of the weaker sections It would, he said, provide a stable Government as it had the following of 180 members in the Assembly.
Mr Chandra Shekhar and Janata Party General Secretary Madhu Limaye said the new coalition would usher in a new political thinking in the country, fighting authoritarian tendencies.
Mr Limaye said he was highly pleased at the “political change” in Maharashtra He hoped that under the leadership of Mr Pawar, the Progressive Democratic Front would implement the programmes and policies meant to improve the lot of the masses.
Mr S. M. Joshi reminded the Front that it had the onerous task of winning the confidence of the masses, for which direct contact and field work were necessary.
Replying to the felicitation, Mr Pawar thanked the legislators for the confidence they had placed in him. He said the birth of the Progressive Democratic Front was taking place in a peculiar situation, namely the growing threat to democracy posed by the authoritarian forces led by Mrs Indira Gandhi.
Mr Pawar said it might not be possible for the Front to think in terms of implementing its own programme immediately as almost 90 per cent of the budget, which replaced the previous Government’s programme, had already been passed by the State Assembly.
Whatever good programmes had been formulated by the previous Government would be implemented, he said. As for the Front’s own programme, it might become necessary to go to the Assembly with a supplementary budget later.
Mr Pawar appealed to all the legislators to maintain restraint and dignity in the House during the session scheduled to resume on Thursday He feared that there might be provocations from the Opposition, attempts to block the proceedings and hurling of charges but the Front legislators should not lose balance, he added.
