NCP to deliberate its relevance in coalition politics

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), partner in the governing coalition here with the Congress party, has already ruled out the possibility of its merger with the latter, despite a not-so-impressive performance in elections to the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Legislative Assembly last year. It, instead, plans state-level brainstorming workshops to discuss the party’s relevance in the era of coalition politics and its future strategy for consolidation.

The first of such sessions, of state, district and civic-body office bearers, is being planned on February 6 and 7 in Maharashtra, where the party was founded in June 1999.

An NCP leader involved in planning the proposed workshop told Business Standard on condition of anonymity: “Despite the Congress party’s overtures for merger, our party is very clear that it is quite relevant in the present coalition politics and efforts should be made to become a pan-Indian party. We are aware that NCP’s presence is in very few states but the party can grow further by strengthening the party organisation.” The leader said the party had a different style of functioning and it emphasised openness and a decentralised decision-making process.

State home minister R R Patil downplays criticism against the party as only a regional outfit, largely confined to Maharashtra. “Even the BJP was ridiculed when it had won a mere two seats in the Lok Sabha in 1984. The same party subsequently grew at the national level to rule the country for six years. NCP has a strong leadership in the form of Pawar and couple of other leaders at the state level. The party has completed a decade of its presence, has a pro-people agenda and it cannot be simply overlooked.”

The party leader admitted a section of partymen are confused, doubting the need for a separate identityfor the NCP when the foreign origin of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, the issue on which it was formed, was no more an issue.

Further, a section of partymen are seriously worried over how NCP could mobilise youths, dalits, tribals and women, with Congress still having an edge in all this. Besides, the party leader admitted that minorities are not coming to the party fold in a big way, despite Pawar’s secular credentials. Ironically, many youths had deserted to join Raj Thackeray’s aggressive Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. On top of this, secular and like-minded parties always view Pawar with suspicion.

Moreover, NCP and Congress, though ruling partners in the state, at times behave as political rivals. The Congress leaves no opportunity to score a brownie point over NCP.