Sharad Pawar and his options in national politics

Dr Duggaraju Srinivasa Rao

In electoral politics we often see some leaders withdrawing from the contest for the sake of party unity or the coalition success. Bur Sharad Pawar is not a runoff mill politician but a leader who had an established difference in the arena and all his moves or either suspected or admired both by his followers as well as opponents. Recently Sharad Pawar confirmed his mastery over politics by offering his candidature in the Rajya Sabha elections from Maharashtra, when many politicians of his age and health have retired from the stressful political scenario. His admirers supported that move as the political necessity not only to keep his faction of NCP intact, post untimely death of Ajit Pawar, but also to keep the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) remain united. There was serious tussle between Congress and Udhav Thackeray for the only one winnable seat available for the opposition.  But for the intervention of Sharad Pawar and his announcement to be in the fray the MVA would have collapsed. That way he saved the opposition unity in Maharashtra, but that could not be the only one reason for this 85 year old Maratha political warrior’s intention to be in the Rajya Sabha. Many believe Sharad Pawar still wish to play a role in the national politics by being in Delhi.

Congress is, currently, hoping that he will stick to his 2024 election time statement of “I don’t see any difference between the Congress and us, ideologically we belong to the Gandhi, Nehru line of thinking”, though the Congress party remained unresponsive at that time. Congress in 2024 was confident of over throwing Narendra Modi in the elections. Its assumption failed, though Congress could win near 100 seats with the support of regional parties. Not only that, Congress party snubbed Sharad Pawar’s move to make then Bihar CM and JDU leader Nitish Kumar as the convenor of then nascent opposition alliance, I.N.D.I.A. Congress party’s unwillingness not to accept any other leader other than their own Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate has costed  heavily politically. Despite being confined to opposition for the third time the stance of Congress remained unchanged still presenting Rahul as more matured and well received in the field. That believe even after series of electoral defeats in different states baffles other opposition parties.

It is in this political backdrop that sharad Pawar is entering the Rajya Sabha. Since 2019 he was hinting about his possible retirement for electoral politics but his political capacity to bring the ideologically opposing Shiva Sena and Congress and form the government in Maharashtra enhanced his relevance and his retirement idea faded. But during the last seven years Sharad Pawar is losing his plots. Opposition unity, which he crafted, is lying in tatters as his own party got split along with Shiva Sena and people rejected the MVA. BJP is firmly in power in Maharashtra and it unseated Siva Sena from its 40 year citadel, Mumbai Corporation.

Sharad Pawar is no more a strong man of Maharashtra politics. He lost large chunk of leaders and cadre to his nephew Ajit Pawar. On the death of Ajit Pawar in aeroplane accident, Ajit faction, aided by BJP, quickly anointed his wife Sunetra as party chief as well as Deputy CM. The Sharad Pawar got forced to concede their reduced stature by announcing its decision not to oppose Ajit Pawar’s wife candidature in by-election. Apparently Sharad Pawar’s priorities got changed and made to search for new options.

BJP top leadership understood the predicament of Sharad Pawar and played its political cards by not opposing his candidature to the Rajya Sabha to keep him in good humour. This is contrast to the games BJP played in Bihar, Odisha. Congress which initially opposed the candidature of Sharad Pawar backtracked realising the role he can play in alliance building. Both NDA and I.N.D.I.A groups apparently wish to have Sharad Pawar on their side though for different reasons.

Sharad Pawar is not so strong on ideology and Pawar’s ideology is the power, as many say. The first and easiest option is to move closer to NDA to secure the future of his daughter. That BJP is ready to take Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule in to the cabinet during the next reshuffle is making rounds. That way Sharad Pawar’s power legacy will go forward.

Next available option is to use his political experience to convince Congress to scale down their Rahul Gandhi as PM demand and work under Mamata Banerjee, the lady who is slated to win for a record fourth time in Bengal, leadership in 2029 election. The Congress may or may not accept that suggestion but if accepted those regional parties which have lost faith in Rahul Gandhi’s leadership capability may re-join I.N.D.I.A group and work for their collective objective of Modi Hatao.

The third option, a tough one at his age and health, for Sharad Pawar is reboot 1990s National Front, United Front idea and tag it Federal Front for 2029 elections. The regional parties are not so happy with the Congress leadership, especially with Rahul Gandhi. The recent results in Bihar where NDA won against Mahaghatabandhan resulted in frustration of RJD cadre. Yasashvi Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav are now seeing Rahul Gandhi as a heavy baggage of negativism. Moreover they don’t share a common agenda with Congress. For that grand old party PM post is the target and for regional parties the CM chair in their respective states is the priority. Rahul Gandhi’s penchant to rake up national issues, anti-Modi rhetoric is not going well with rural electorate. To bring these opposition parties as federal front and winning good number of seats and taking the Congress help in forming the government as the centre is the best option available for Pawar as such a scenario will help him to have shot at the PM chair and realised his dream of leading the nation.

Which option will Sharad Pawar pick up and execute will build the anti-Modi political script of the Indian opposition.

(Author is retired professor. Views expressed are personal.)