Sharad Pawar Throws Another Rider, Triggers Fresh Intrigue

As the news of the likelihood of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)merging is gaining ground, the role of veteran leader Sharad Pawar has once again come into focus. Pawar had asserted after his nephew and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash that the talks for merger of the two sides had been blessed by Ajit. However, Ajit’s widow Sunetra soon thereafter joined the Mahayuti government led by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Expectedly, the issue was pushed to the backburner. However, over the past week, reports that Sunetra and her two sons, Jay and Parth, have concentrated all statutory powers of the NCP (Ajit) into their hands in submissions to the Election Commission have once again revived the power struggle. Both NCP (Ajit) senior leaders, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, have been totally sidelined by Sunetra. Tatkare’s sudden call on Sharad Pawar a couple of days ago after a gap of two years has added grist to the rumour mill. Interestingly, Pawar has once again thrown a rider with his support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for fuel economy. Many of his supporters recall how Pawar had responded to Modi’s appeal to play cymbals during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pawar’s unopposed recent re-election to the Rajya Sabha has only added another tangent to the intrigue. Hence, his next step is being watched with a baited breath by both sides.