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NEW DELHI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s divergence from the opposition bloc on the Adani row has not surprised Congress, given that the Maratha strongman’s party did not hide its views on the issue during the long and disrupted Budget session of Parliament. But his decision to put on record his disapproval with the demand for a JPC probe into the Adani issue has created a piquant situation for Congress, which, led by Rahul Gandhi, is pursuing a hardline on the subject.
Pawar’s stance is interesting. He waited for the Parliament session to end on Thursday to go public on Adani, clearly suggesting that he did not want to rock the opposition boat, with attempts at unity growing intense and newer players like TMC, AAP, BRS joining the fold as the session progressed. His timing allowed the opposition to carry out its campaign without any embarrassment or providing a handle to the governing BJP that there were cracks in the anti-government camp.
With his views on Adani coming on the back of his red flag to Rahul’s belligerence on Savarkar, Pawar has shown that his independence in balancing issues and relationships across political lines remain uninhibited by his simultaneous role as a patron of opposition unity.
Instead, he is seen to have presented a model where anti-BJP politics can be practised without total unanimity, or even with strong differences, on key issues.
In the same meeting few days ago where he counselled Rahul Gandhi to give up his insistence on Savarkar, Pawar also advised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to call a meeting of the chiefs of political parties to take the unity efforts to a higher plane. The meeting is being attempted with Kharge calling up party presidents like M K Stalin and Uddhav Thackeray to finalise the details.
No wonder, Congress reacted to Pawar’s favourable line on Adani with caution, claiming consensus among 19 parties sans NCP over the issue, but adding in the same breath that NCP stands rock solid with the opposition on taking on BJP.
The larger message of the NCP chief, as an astute political practitioner, seems to be that the opposition would rather focus on local issues with electoral dividends. His own role in weaning away Shiv Sena in late 2019 from the BJP alliance and forming a three-way government with Congress is evidence of his politics. It is in line with Congress’ recent strategies in state polls, where it has been coming up with local manifestos and promises, and steering clear of national issues and PM Narendra Modi.
Pawar’s stance is interesting. He waited for the Parliament session to end on Thursday to go public on Adani, clearly suggesting that he did not want to rock the opposition boat, with attempts at unity growing intense and newer players like TMC, AAP, BRS joining the fold as the session progressed. His timing allowed the opposition to carry out its campaign without any embarrassment or providing a handle to the governing BJP that there were cracks in the anti-government camp.
With his views on Adani coming on the back of his red flag to Rahul’s belligerence on Savarkar, Pawar has shown that his independence in balancing issues and relationships across political lines remain uninhibited by his simultaneous role as a patron of opposition unity.
Instead, he is seen to have presented a model where anti-BJP politics can be practised without total unanimity, or even with strong differences, on key issues.
In the same meeting few days ago where he counselled Rahul Gandhi to give up his insistence on Savarkar, Pawar also advised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to call a meeting of the chiefs of political parties to take the unity efforts to a higher plane. The meeting is being attempted with Kharge calling up party presidents like M K Stalin and Uddhav Thackeray to finalise the details.
No wonder, Congress reacted to Pawar’s favourable line on Adani with caution, claiming consensus among 19 parties sans NCP over the issue, but adding in the same breath that NCP stands rock solid with the opposition on taking on BJP.
The larger message of the NCP chief, as an astute political practitioner, seems to be that the opposition would rather focus on local issues with electoral dividends. His own role in weaning away Shiv Sena in late 2019 from the BJP alliance and forming a three-way government with Congress is evidence of his politics. It is in line with Congress’ recent strategies in state polls, where it has been coming up with local manifestos and promises, and steering clear of national issues and PM Narendra Modi.
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