Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, 51, was unanimously elected leader of the NCP legislature party on Wednesday, replacing Chhagan Bhujbal who held the post twice. Mr. Pawar will be the new Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister. Both the Chief Minister and his deputy are Marathas from western Maharashtra, sending a clear signal on where the battle for dominance will now lie.
Union Civil Aviation Minister and NCP observer Praful Patel made this announcement here flanked by a jubilant Ajit Pawar, MLA from Baramati, and a rather dejected looking Bhujbal who after relinquishing his post, said he was a party worker from now on.
At a meeting of the NCP legislature party, Mr. Bhujbal proposed the name of Mr. Pawar and was seconded by R.R. Patil. There was no discussion, it was a unanimous choice, said Mr. Patel.
Mr. Pawar's supporters burst crackers and thronged the NCP office at Nariman Point in a show of strength. Despite NCP president Sharad Pawar's repeated declaration that he did not think any changes would be made, it was evident that his nephew would not be short-changed for a second time. Top NCP leaders were closeted for a meeting before heading for the party office where the resolution was passed at the meeting.
Last year after the Assembly elections, there was overwhelming support for Mr. Pawar to head the NCP legislature party which was shot down by the party head and Mr. Bhujbal was once again made deputy chief minister. At that time it was rumoured that things would change after a year.
The shake-up in the Congress leadership gave that chance for Mr. Ajit Pawar to assert his dominance in the NCP in Maharashtra.
Defending the choice of Mr. Pawar, Mr. Patel said that the party had the right to elect a new leader in the changed circumstances and there was nothing else to it. “We don't have to worry about what the other party is doing and we have a right to elect a new head,” he said. He also defended Mr. Bhujbal being replaced by saying that, “We have not removed Mr. Bhujbal, he has himself proposed the name of Mr. Pawar.”
Mr. Pawar has worked for the party for 11 years and has been a minister since long, he is not a junior leader, Mr. Patel added.
There was no particular reason to elect Mr. Pawar and it was the wish of the party workers, Mr. Patel pointed out. The NCP has given a chance to various people in the party, he remarked. Asked why the NCP president had issued statements that nothing will change in the party, Mr. Patel said that Mr. Pawar had acted according to the wishes of the legislators. “No MLA had given us any letter or pleaded for Ajit Pawar. No one met us or insisted on Ajit,” he clarified. In his speech proposing the name of Mr. Pawar, Mr. Bhujbal said he was a young leader and he would make an appropriate leader in the state legislature. Mr. Patel said that he and Tariq Anwar, the two central observers had not come to express their opinions but facilitate the meeting.
Responding to a question on how the party hoped to tackle the issue of caste equations, now that an OBC leader had given way to a Maratha, Mr. Patel said let the party worry about it. Regarding Mr. Bhujbal's future, he said, “We also have a high command and Mr. Bhujbal will continue to have responsibilities,” he remarked.
Asked by the media as to what he had said in the meeting, Mr. Bhujbal said he had proposed Mr. Ajit's name as he was a good worker and could lead the party effectively in the legislature. “The party will decide my future,” he added. Mr Bhujbal had been telling the media that he would continue as the deputy chief minister. “However, I have been in that post for many years and I felt that a younger person should get a chance.”
Mr. Pawar, who is known to be man of few words and media shy, said because both the heads of the State are from a particular region does not mean they will work only for that region. In 2003, Sushilkumar Shinde was chief minister and Vijaysinh Mohite Patil was his deputy and they were from the same district — Solapur.
He said it will not be the case that only Baramati and Karad (Mr. Prithviraj Chavan's native place) will be developed. He expressed confidence in the new Chief Minister and said,” We will keep the State together and work for development. Mr. Chavan has a lot of experience in the Centre and that will come in handy for the State, specially since there are so many projects which need Central clearance, like the Navi Mumbai airport and other things. He has the experience to deal with matters of this sort.”
