Anita Katyal | Will Sharad Pawar Merge Party With Cong? MGNREGA Protests Fizzle Out

Even before Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar was cremated, intense discussions got underway about the future of the Nationalist Congress Party faction headed by him. A host of options were being discussed, chiefly about the much-talked-about rapprochement between Ajit’s NCP and the NCP (SP) led by his uncle and mentor Sharad Pawar. Since both sides were already in talks, it was expected the two will come together as Ajit Pawar’s death has united the estranged family members. However, the hurried manner in which Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister without any prior consultation with Sharad Pawar suggests otherwise. According to the political grapevine, Ajit Pawar’s family possibly feared that once Pawar senior takes charge of the merged party, he would promote his daughter Supriya Sule and they would be sidelined. It is also possible that Sharad Pawar could still be pressured by his cadre to go along with his late nephew’s party and join the ruling alliance in Maharashtra. Another theory doing the rounds is that if there is no merger, Sharad Pawar may eventually merge his party with the Congress. Pawar senior, it is said, is keen on securing the future of his daughter Supriya Sule who is more comfortable in the Lok Sabha as she does not possess the necessary skills to take charge of the party organisation. Mr Pawar does not keep good health and is getting on in age. Till there is further clarity on the subject, “What next for the NCP” will remain a subject of hot discussion for days to come.

There is considerable merit in the saying that there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics, only permanent interests. The Padma Bhushan award conferred on the late Jharkhand chief minister and veteran tribal leader Shibu Soren is another example of how leaders once vilified by a political opponent suddenly come in for high praise. Having decided to honour Mr Soren now, the BJP has clearly forgotten the vociferous campaign it had launched in 2004 against the inclusion of “tainted ministers” like Mr Soren in the Manmohan Singh-led government. It derailed proceedings in Parliament on this issue and submitted a memorandum to the President in which the BJP described Mr Soren as a “history sheeter” and gave details of his involvement in various criminal cases. The memorandum also said Shibu Soren is the first Cabinet minister in 56 years to go underground to evade an arrest warrant. Over two decades later, all is forgotten and Shibu Soren is among the recipients of a Padma award. The move comes at a time when there are reports that the BJP is reaching out to the JMM for a possible alliance in view of its troubled relationship with the Congress, its current partner.

Still to come to terms with the dissection and demotion of Jammu and Kashmir from a state to two Union Territories, there are now reports of a fresh development. Of late, a growing demand is being voiced for a separate state for Jammu. There is no clarity about who initiated this demand but the reason for raising this issue appears fairly obvious. It comes soon after right-wing Hindu outfits registered an angry protest over the admission of a large number of Muslim students to the MBBS course at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence. Though the students were selected after they qualified the entrance examination, the protestors persisted with their objection to the admission of Muslim students to a college run by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. Instead of standing firm, the National Medical Commission hurriedly withdrew its approval for the MBBS course though it had given the necessary clearances only a few months earlier. Questions are being asked about the role of the Bharatiya Janata Party as the lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha is the chairman of the Shrine Board. The medical college’s closure and the subsequent demand for a separate state for Hindu-dominated Jammu has further exacerbated its divide with the Muslim-dominated Kashmir Valley which helps the BJP consolidate its Hindu vote bank.

When the Narendra Modi government replaced the UPA government’s flagship rural employment scheme MGNREGA with its own legislation, the G Ram G Bill, the Congress lodged a strong protest in Parliament and declared it would hold public demonstrations to demand the restoration of the old Act. In true Congress style, the party held a meeting of its working committee where this decision was finalised. It also organised a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Grounds to kick off its campaign and set up a committee to plan and oversee the 45-day nationwide “MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan” launched early this month and to continue till February-end. More than three weeks later, there is little or no news about the protests and whether its demand is resonating with the people. Here, the Congress could perhaps take a lesson from West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who lost no time in hitting the streets when the Enforcement Directorate raided the residence and offices of the Trinamul Congress election strategist. The Congress should understand that in such matters, timing is critical.