To the embarrassment of pro-Marathi groups, which had objected to the construction of the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha in Belgaum, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, Sharad Pawar on Monday heaped praise on the majestic building, and said that Marathi people should be proud of the fact that it had been built by a noted builder from Maharashtra, B.G. Shirke.
Mr Pawar, who was on a private visit to meet relatives in Belgaum on Sunday, spoke to reporters in Karad.
When asked for his views on the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha, he called it a “fabulous structure,” and said that he was glad that it was constructed by a Maharashtra builder. He further said that he felt it was a good idea to have President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurate it.
His stand has not gone down very well with Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) leaders like Malojirao Ashtekar, T.K. Patil and Deepak Dalvi, who had met him at the Belgaum airport and submitted a memorandum opposing the construction of the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha.
The MES and other pro-Marathi organisations had staged protests for a month, both in Maharashtra and Karnataka, to stop Mr Mukherjee from inaugurating the building. Mr Pawar’s open appreciation for the structure, is nothing short of embarrassing for them, political observers said.
MES leader, Kiran Thakur, too, had failed to garner much support in Mumbai from the NCP and Shiv Sena against the construction of Suvarna Vidhan Soudha and the President’s decision to inaugurate it.
With the NCP and Shiv Sena staying aloof from the dispute and some even openly supporting Karnataka, the
pro-Marathi leaders here find themselves fighting a lone battle on the issue, observers said.