Mumbai Rather than throw his hat in the ring as the Opposition candidate for President of India, Sharad Pawar would prefer to be the next convenor of the United Progressive Alliance, an idea that the Congress is strenuously rejecting.
Close aides of the NCP chief say that Pawar is of the view if the Congress believes he can get the votes required from non-UPA parties to become President of India then he can also be the face of opposition unity for next general elections. Pawar, they said, was keen on being made chairperson or convenor of the UPA or any other platform of all opposition parties against the BJP.
The issue of the presidential poll was discussed in the core committee meeting of the NCP held at Pawar’s Mumbai residence Silver Oak on Monday where he told those assembled that while he did get feelers from the Congress to contest for President in July, he was not interested.
“If the belief is that he can contest presidential elections and can manage to get votes from non-UPA and non-NDA parties then why don’t they make him in-charge of UPA or the united opposition front and fight the next general elections under his leadership against BJP, which is the need of the hour,”said a senior NCP leader close to Pawar requesting that he not be named. “The NCP chief is not happy at the way the Congress strongly opposes any proposal to make Pawar the UPA chairperson or convenor,” he added.
On Monday, NCP minister Jitendra Awhad told the media that the NCP chief is the only leader who could bring all non-NDA leaders on one platform. He also stressed that Pawar should be given a free hand by the opposition parties if they are seriously willing to form a united front.
“If you really want to fight, then let’s start it from today, give him (Sharad Pawar) a free hand to bring everyone together and see what happens,” Awhad said.
“I can’t talk about UPA and others but what I do see is that he’s the only person in the country who can bring all the political parties on a platform that are against communal politics and want to save the progressive idea of the country,” he added.
The issue has other ramifications as well, said another NCP leader. “How can Pawar saheb remain in active politics after contesting the President elections and winning? Who is going to lead the party if the NCP chief decides to contest the polls and become the President of India? These are questions that no one wants to touch upon at this moment,” he added.
On Tuesday the NCP boss was in Delhi to meet West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of the opposition meet to chalk out a strategy for the President’s elections. “If the opposition parties are coming together for the President’s election, and the ruling party also believes that the country should get a good president like Dr Abdul Kalam or Pranab Mukherjee, then only one name comes up for consideration and that is Sharad Pawar’s. Even Modi will agree to this,” said Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut from Ayodhya where he is preparing for Aaditya Thackeray’s visit.
NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said that the proposal to make the NCP chief as head of UPA was put up by some regional parties but there was no discussion within the constituents of UPA.
“A proposal has been put up by some regional parties but no discussion has happened within the constituents of UPA,” Tapase said.
He said that the Congress is the largest constituent and its president Sonia Gandhi is the chairperson and her contribution in cementing the UPA is high. “Some people have suggested Pawar’s name but no serious thought has been given to it. He has himself denied any intention and ambition to head UPA. But he has been helping the opposition parties in combating the divisive forces in the country,” he added.
In response, Congress said that no offer was made to the NCP chief over contesting presidential elections. “UPA is a democratic front and decisions are being taken by the front collectively. Congress has not offered him anything. He comes from Maharashtra and if a Maharashtrian becomes President, then it will be a matter of pride for all of us,” said Atul Londhe, chief spokesperson, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).
Pawar has long been a proponent of a united front against the ruling BJP at the Centre. He has said that a third front is the need of the hour and it cannot be formed without the Congress. On November 15 last year, he had said publicly that it would be incorrect to believe that the opposition has no face to counter
prime minister Narendra Modi. Who that person could be, he did not need to say.
