Sharad Pawar: Maharashtra NCP crisis: How opposition parties expressed solidarity with Sharad Pawar

NEW DELHI: With NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on the defensive after his nephew Ajit Pawar split the party and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government along with eight party MLAs in Maharashtra on Sunday, a couple of opposition parties extended their support to the veteran politician.
Ajit Pawar took oath as Maharashtra deputy chief minister with eight other party legislators. He has pledged the support of about 40 of the 53 NCP MLAs and nine MLCs. Of these, nine MLAs including Ajit Pawar have joined the Eknath Shinde government.
The move by Ajit Pawar is being viewed as a major blow not just to Sharad Pawar but also to opposition unity. A joint meeting of some political parties was earlier slated to take place in Bengaluru on July 13 and 14. However, it was cancelled soon after the rebellion by Ajit Pawar.
Later on Sunday itself, the Congress came out with fresh dates and announced that the opposition meeting ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election would be held on July 17 and 18 in Bengaluru itself.
The first such meeting was held in Patna on June 23.
Sharad Pawar, a former Maharashtra chief minister and Union minister, has been actively involved in forging unity among the opposition parties. A jolt to him was viewed as a setback to the opposition unity.
Presenting a semblance of unity, a couple of opposition leaders extended their support to Sharad Pawar in such a situation.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party president Rahul Gandhi spoke to Sharad Pawar. DMK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin also pledged support to the NCP chief.
In a tweet, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said, “The BJP’s dirty tricks department is working on overdrive in Maharashtra. This is not a legitimately elected government, but an ED-facilitated power grab. The Maharashtra government is a product of corruption and sin. The people have very well identified the traitors, corrupt and compromised leaders of Maharashtra and each of them will be taught the lessons of their lifetime in the next elections.”
He further said, “On June 29, PM Modi had spoken about corruption. It appears he switched on the washing machine and these leaders are now squeaky clean after this oath-taking ceremony. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi spoke to the NCP president Sharad Pawar and extended support to him.”
Stalin on Monday also extended his support to Sharad Pawar after the NCP witnessed a split on account of Ajit Pawar who joined the Shiv Sena-BJP-led Eknath Shinde Maharashtra government.
According to the Tamil Nadu CM office, Stalin spoke to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and extended his support to him.
A couple of other opposition leaders too sent out discreet support to Sharad Pawar.
In a tweet, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah of National Conference said, “A fortnight is a lifetime in politics. We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow.”
Abdullah attached a picture of his along with Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule and NCP leader Praful Patel.
SP supremo and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav also indirectly supported Sharad Pawar. In a tweet in Hindi, Yadav said, “The mathematics of politics is different. Here someone’s joining does not always increase the power, but to share the power that was there, another partner has to increase. It is also a symbol of increasing weakness.”