MUMBAI: They say nothing lasts forever. This is as true of politics as anything else. Yesterday’s political stalwarts like Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray today seem to be mere shadows of their earlier selves, navigating a sea of uncertainty.
This Lok Sabha election is a real test between three election managers – Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his two deputies --Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis -- against two decimated mass leaders, Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, who are determined to fight the polls to regain their lost glory.
The battleground is ready for the high-voltage elections that will elect 48 Lok Sabha MPs – the highest after Uttar Pradesh. On the one side are skilled poll managers like Chief Minister Shinde and two deputies, while on the other, two mass leaders -- the 84-year-old Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray are fighting the survival battle after witnessing a major vertical split in their parties.
“Though Sharad Pawar was the face of the NCP, the groundwork from identifying the local candidates, providing them resources and oiling the party machinery was carried out by one of the most reliable partymen and nephew Ajit Pawar. While senior Pawar used to handle only the key issues, his nephew was one main contact for the lower rung of the party leaders and workers,” said a person close to the Pawar family.
It is said that Sharad Pawar had so much faith in Ajit that he trusted his managerial skills much more than his daughter, Supriya Sule, when choosing candidates. Therefore, ignoring his major blunders and gaffes, sr Pawar continued to elevate his position in the party and the government.
“The proverbial phrase that blood is extra thick in the Pawar family has changed. The nephew has not only highjacked the party but is trying to end the politics of his 84-year-old uncle by fielding his spouse, Sunetra Pawar, against his cousin sister, Supriya Sule, and fiercely fighting this legacy and political battle with the help of BJP, particularly Devendra Fadnavis in Baramati,” said a political observer.
Sharad Pawar, who understands politics like the back of his hand, anticipated the danger to his daughter Supriya Sule’s future, and started the corner meetings of villagers in Baramati Lok Sabha to protect his bastion that he developed in the 1970s.
“Supriya Sule is also scouting in scorching summer, meeting the locals and seeking support for her father and herself in this prestigious battle against her cousin. Several middle-aged people in Baramati benefited from the decisions of Ajit Pawar directly, even though Sharad Pawar empowered him. Ajit Pawar was just a facilitator but now takes credit for many things in Baramati. But the elderlies and the youth are extending support to senior Pawar vowing to remain loyal in times of crisis,” said a senior journalist from Baramati.
Interestingly, DCM Fadnavis, with his statesmanship, is doing the fire-fighting and bolstering job for his friend Ajit Pawar and his spouse Sunetra Pawar in this final political battle against Sharad Pawar. Keeping the 2014 Lok Sabha’s close elections in mind, where Supriya Sule won the polls by a slender margin against Rashtriya Samaj Paksha candidate Mahadev Jankar, Sharad Pawar is ensuring that his daughter doesn’t not face a similar situation.
Congress MLA Sanjay Jagtap from Purandhar said that this time, the public perception favours MVA. He said the people are upset with the manner Uddhav Thackeray was forced to step down as chief minister despite the Shiv Sena being founded by his father, the late Balasaheb Thackeray. Similarly, Sharad Pawar founded NCP has also been snatched by his nephew Ajit Pawar.
“The people who are with the RSS-BJP are not happy with the inductions of NCP Ajit Pawar and Congress leader Ashok Chavan. PM Narendra Modi raised the corruption of the Pawar’s ~70,000 crore irrigations scam and Chavan’s Adarsh housing scam ahead of the Lok Sabha elections,” he said.
Interestingly, BJP, in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, hammered its election campaign around these two leaders only. Pawar and Chavan were portrayed as the epitome of corruption in Maharashtra, and they are with the BJP now. So, hard-core workers of the RSS and BJP are finding it hard to defend these corrupt leaders.
MVA Lok Sabha seat sharing
Shiv Sena (UBT): 21
Congress: 17
NCP (SP): 10
Mahayuti probable tie-up
BJP: 30 NCP: 4
Shiv Sena: 13
RSP: 1
State in numbers
Lok sabha seats: 48
Total voters: 9.24 crore
Male: 4.80 crore
Female: 4.43 crore
Third-gender: 5,610
Overseas voters: 5,710
Service voters: 1.17 lakh
First time: 12.57 lakh
