Sharad Pawar is not called Chanakya of Maharashtra politics for no reason. No one could have imagined what this Maratha Satrap did in the MVA alliance on Thursday. The NCP (Sharad Pawar), which is much weaker than the Congress and Uddhav Shiv Sena in the MVA, has secured the same number of candidates as its two allies will contest the elections. This is no small achievement. Those who follow the politics of Maharashtra very closely know that this time this elderly politician was already hinting that the NCP (SP) is not going to accept fewer seats in the seat distribution. And when the opportunity came, he did so. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance has currently prepared a compromise formula for 255 out of 288 seats for the Maharashtra Assembly elections to be held on November 20. In which the three allies have obtained between 85 and 85 seats. But this is a big achievement for the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). Which has gained leadership in the power struggle between the Congress and Shiv Sena-led Uddhav Thackeray (UBT). Now it remains to be seen who will become the Chief Minister if the MVA government is formed.
1- The additional seats for the NCP (SP) camp are a result of Pawar’s political skills.
The NCP (SP) has so far not participated in the race for the Chief Minister’s post. Sharad Pawar, 83, was concentrating solely on the election of his party’s candidates and the election campaign. The PCN (SP) planned to participate in the elections to obtain between 70 and 75 seats. From this it was clear that he was not involved in the ambition or race for the CM post. But now, when the NCP (SP) is going to contest elections with 85 seats, any party that wins the maximum number of seats can claim the post of Chief Minister.
In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the NCP (SP) performed best among all its peers. Pawar had ensured victory for six new faces in the state.
The Indian Express has written that the reason why the three parties involved in the MVA in Maharashtra have agreed to contest the elections with the same number of seats is due to Pawar’s political acumen and negotiating skills. Pawar also swapped some seats with his allies, giving him a few more seats. For example, he gave up the Patan seat in western Maharashtra to the Shiv Sena (UBT), where his party had not won in the last 10 years, and in return acquired some other seats in the Marathwada region. Apart from this, he will include independent MLA Kishore Georgewar from Chandrapur seat in his party, which has raised his hopes of winning another seat.
2- Had Sharad Pawar recently expressed his desire to be the CM of his party?
Sharad Pawar played an important role in the formation of the anti-BJP government in Maharashtra by putting forward Uddhav Thackeray’s name in 2019. But this time, after the breakup of the party, he may be determined to prove his worth. Many times during this time he made gestures that seemed like he now wanted to see someone from NCP (SP) as CM. He had also indicated a few days ago that this time the PCN (SP) will demand more seats. Pawar did as he said. Now their eyes are on their next target. A few days ago, at a party rally held at Islampur in Sangli district, he praised the leadership abilities of Maharashtra NCP (SP) chief Jayant Patil and said he has full confidence in him. I am confident that Patil will take the state in the right direction. His statement was seen in political circles as his party putting forward Patil as a possible prime ministerial candidate.
Pawar has also played an important role in announcing the three-party 85-85-85 seat formula after several rounds of talks and tough negotiations between the Congress and Uddhav Sena. Both Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) were fighting each other in a bid to claim 100 seats. Because in case of victory of the MVA, whoever has more seats, the stronger their aspirations for the post of Chief Minister will be. Shiv Sena (UBT) wants to project Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister, while Congress also has several chief ministerial candidates, boosted by the party’s success in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where it was the largest party in the state . came out ready.
3- It is not in vain that Pawar Chanakya is called from Maharashtra politics.
Because in Maharashtra politics, Sharad Pawar is known for doing things that no one can know or understand. Be it to get Uddhav Thackeray the throne of Maharashtra with fewer MLAs or to make his nephew Ajit Pawar deputy CM by sending him to the BJP camp. Not only did he make him deputy CM, but by immediately calling him back, he also disgraced the powerful duo like Modi-Shah. Currently, his nephew Ajit Pawar is the deputy CM in the Shinde government and is also contesting the elections with him. Mahayuti Alliance. But still many people feel that Pawar’s uncle may have placed his nephew in his anti group according to some strategy. Because every time nephew meets uncle, NDA’s heartbeat increases. Now uncle’s new feat is that NCP (SP) has to get same number of seats in MVA as Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).
Perhaps this is the reason why Sharad Pawar is called the Chanakya of Maharashtra politics. It has influence in all parties. He remained a Union minister for 10 years in the Manmohan Singh government. The Modi government honors him with the Padma Vibhushan Award. After the Emergency, he rebelled against Indira Gandhi and left the Congress and in 1978 formed the government in Maharashtra with the Janata Party and took over as Chief Minister of the state. In 1980, Indira dismissed her government, but in 1983, Sharad Pawar reestablished his strong influence in state politics by forming the Congress Socialist Party.
His party’s victory with 54 seats in the assembly elections held in 1985 brought him back to state politics. Sharad Pawar resigns from Lok Sabha and leads opposition in Assembly. In 1987 he returned to Congress again for his former party. He expressed faith in Rajiv Gandhi’s leadership and reached out to him. Sharad Pawar got the CM post from Shankar Rao Chavan in the year 1988.
In the 1990 assembly elections, the Congress was able to win 141 of 288 seats, but Sharad Pawar, a political expert, managed to form the government with the help of 12 independent MPs. By doing so, he manages to become CM for the third time. Not only this, after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Sharad Pawar’s name was also included in the race for the post of Prime Minister along with Narayan Dutt Tiwari and PV Narasimha Rao. .
