MUMBAI: An “unwarranted” statement by a Congress minister in Maharashtra has snowballed into a debate over who should lead the UPA at national level, revealing the fissures in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi in the western state.
The trigger was Congress minister Yashomati Thakur airing that “had NCP supremo Sharad Pawar been made the chief minister, the situation in Maharashtra would have been different”.
Pawar was a senior and experienced leader and hence, he should lead the state, said the Congress leader.
As expected, this didn’t go down well with the Shiv Sena. Deputy Speaker of legislative council Neelam Gore countered the Congress by suggesting that Pawar should be made the UPA chairman.
The United Progressive Alliance, which was in power at the Centre from 2004 to 2014, has been led by Congress since its inception. Sena making a pitch for a non-Congress leader to head the front during the 2024 Lok Sabha election is seen as a signal to the grand old party.
“If NCP chief Sharad Pawar is the UPA chairman, his vast experience will definitely help the entire country. We are with Pawar. Are you ready to support him as UPA chairman?”
Gore asked Yashomati. Currently, the UPA is almost defunct at the national level but parties like Sena would prefer more anti-BJP parties joining it under the leadership of a non-Congress chairperson.
Earlier, Sena leader Sanjay Raut had pitched Pawar’s name for the UPA chairman post, but the latter said that he was not interested in taking up the responsibility and that Congress was better positioned to lead the anti-BJP front.
Sources said the Sena leadership was unhappy over Yashomati’s statement.
“Her statement gives an impression that incumbent CM Uddhav Thackeray is not doing enough good work. All three parties had agreed on Thackeray as the CM, then why there was such a controversial statement,” said a Sena leader.
Realising that Sena took her comment seriously, Yashomati went on a firefighting mode. “Uddhav Thackeray is the CM of Maharashtra and leader of Maha Vikas Aghadi,” she said.
Meanwhile, NCP leaders are advising Congress leaders to tread cautiously on the issue.
“If Congress ministers praise Pawar and pitch his name as UPA chairman, it will hurt the current UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. They want to praise Pawar but at the same time want to make Congress leadership happy. Therefore, such unwarranted statements stir controversy,” an NCP leader said.