The current mood in the NCP is not to get isolated politically and it will remain with the Congress at least till the next Lok Sabha and the Maharashtra Assembly elections for the simple reason that it cannot fight with the Congress, Shiv Sena, BJP and the MNS simultaneously.
And this is equally applicable to the Congress in the state as well if one goes by the result in the local body elections.
Mr Ajit Pawar’s resignation can check the campaign against the NCP and give Mr Sharad Pawar time to rework on a political strategy.
The NCP wants to remain relevant at the national level. This can be done only if it grows in Maharashtra politically. The Sharad Pawar-led party will not press for the removal of Mr Prithviraj Chavan as it could be counter-productive. Instead, it can check its opponents through work and strong organisational network.
According to the NCP sources, Mr Pawar can make Mr R.R. Patil as the deputy chief minister in place of Mr Ajit Pawar. “After all, why should we give up our claim on the deputy chief minister’s post,” they asked.
In New Delhi, NCP vice-president and Union minister Praful Patel viewed that chief minister Prithviraj Chavan should stand by Mr Ajit Pawar while reiterating the demand that the CM should bring out a white paper on the alleged scam in the irrigation projects.
“We feel that the entire government in Maharashtra should stand up in solidarity when it is under attack and when baseless allegations are made against any minister,” Mr Patel said here. He said, this was especially so as the Congress chief minister is the leader of the Legislature Party of both the NCP and the Congress.
Declaring that the post of the deputy chief minister will be kept vacant till Mr Ajit Pawar’s comeback, Mr Patel insisted that his resignation must be accepted now. “Ajit Pawar will certainly make a comeback as allegations against him in due course will be found untrue,” Mr Patel said, but downplayed assertions by Independent MLAs that their support to the government is linked with the continuance of Mr Ajit Pawar as the deputy chief minister.
He said it showed how the MLAs are “emotionally attached” with the leadership of Ajit.
To a question, he said there is a systematic campaign to defame the NCP.