Pawar tells party not to project him as PM candidate

Also clarifies that NCP will fight Lok Sabha poll in an alliance with Congress

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has asked his party members not to project him as the prime ministerial nominee in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections. Pawar has exhorted senior ministers, party leaders and chiefs of party wings to put up a united show to take on the opposition parties in Maharashtra. Pawar gave his directives at the crucial party meeting held on Friday and Saturday to chalk out the strategy to fight the general elections.

Pawar was supported by his confidant and Union minister for heavy industries Praful Patel, who pulled up party leaders for competing among themselves to project the party chief as the next prime minister of the country. Patel’s strong message to party members was that they should stop making statements like “Pawar to be prime minister now or never  (abhi nahi to kabhi nahi). He wanted party members to work hard, considering the present political situation wherein the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is being targeted by the opposition on various issues.

Further, Pawar asked party members not to raise the issue of NCP going solo in the general elections. He clarified that NCP’s alliance with Congress will continue. Congress will field their nominees in 26 seats while leaving 22 seats to the NCP. Of the total 48 parliamentary seats in Maharashtra, the Congress had won 17 seats while eight were bagged by the NCP during 2009 general elections.

Pawar also indicated that party ministers will have to be prepared for contesting the Lok Sabha elections and thereby pave way for the younger lot to get elected to the state Assembly. NCP ministers, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Jayant Patil, Jaidutt Kshirsagar, Babanrao Pachpute, Hasan Mushrif, Sunil Tatkare and Faujia Khan, are expected to become party’s nominees for the polls. Besides, former minister Vijaysinh Mohite Patil will be considered for Madha constituency in the drought-hit Solapur district, which is currently represented by Pawar himself. The NCP chief has already declared his decision not to contest the next general elections.

Moreover, Pawar has decided to set up a high level committee, chaired by senior leader and currently the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly speaker Dilip Walse-Patil, to work out a comprehensive election campaign strategy. The committee’s formation is crucial, especially when the NCP and its ministers are under attack for their alleged involvement in several scams, that has severely dented the NCP’s image. Walse-Patil-led committee will also decide the roadmap to revive party's image.