Monday morning blues for MVA

Sanjay Raut, Sharad Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal

The Maha Vikas Aghadi experienced some more turbulence on Monday following caustic comments in yet another editorial of the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece, Saamana. Some NCP leaders reacted sharply, wondering whether the paper's editor wanted the NCP to exit the MVA. However, NCP boss Sharad Pawar downplayed annoyance in the party and said that all was well in the MVA.

If that wasn't enough, the Congress called out Uddhav Thackeray for poaching its leader from Mahad at a public rally on Sunday.

Tourists in NCP

The editorial, like the one published earlier, reiterated that some NCP leaders had packed their bags, but Pawar's move spoiled the BJP's plan (to induct them). It stated the pressure from party workers prompted Pawar to withdraw his resignation from the chief's position.

Chhagan Bhujbal. Pic/Ashish Rane; (right) Sharad Pawar, NCP chief

"So, the leaders are not a party, but the party workers are. The leaders are tourists. We have seen this in the Shiv Sena as well. The Election Commission handed the party to the group with which the MLAs and MPs went, but their tent is still empty [workers have discarded them]," it stated.

It said the NCP, too, had a similar experience. "Pawar appointed a very big committee to elect a new president. Many in the committee had been in touch with the BJP. But the pressure from the workers was so acute that the committee was forced to tell Pawar that there could be none other than him in the president's post. The drama ended before the third act began," it said, observing further that Pawar was unsuccessful in building a leadership to take the NCP forward.

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Exit plan still on?

The editorial claimed that despite Pawar's extended term, some leaders have not yet cancelled their booking for ‘BJP's lodging and boarding'. "However, whoever goes out will face the public wrath. People will finish their career. The status of the Shiv Sena deserters is more precarious than a stray dog living in a garbage pile," it stated.

It suggested it was time for leaders, now scared of the central enforcement agencies, to decide whether they wanted to live a single day like a tiger or 100 days like a sheep. "Party workers will put up a fight. The party doesn't run because of the leaders who have their bags packed. All such coward generals across the parties should form their own party so that the people know the real fighters."

Bhujbal blast

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who himself has faced the central enforcement agencies and spent over two years in jail, reacted very sharply. He wondered whether Sanjay Raut, the MP-editor who writes editorials, wanted NCP to quit the MVA. "Why is he digging out such things? What problems does he have? Does he want NCP to exit the MVA or create a difference of opinion between the partners?"

Commenting on the ‘packed bag' remark, Bhujbal said he did not know the people under Raut's watch, but, he added, "We wouldn't be in a current situation had he [Raut] kept such a watch on the Eknath Shinde group."

Pawar downplays editorial

Sharad Pawar downplayed the editorial and the reaction from the irked party leaders. "I have not read the editorial. I will comment later. But, all of us, Saamana and its editor (Sanjay Raut), work together. Don't worry, everything is all right in the MVA," he told media persons in Solapur.

Congress protests

State Congress president Nana Patole protested Thackeray's move to induct a party leader from Mahad where the national party also wants to contest the Assembly elections. On Sunday, Snehal Jagtap, the ex-Mahad mayor and daughter of the late Manik Jagtap, a former Congress legislator, was taken into the Sena (UBT) fold. She is expected to be pitted against CM Shinde's local MLA Bharat Gogawale.

Patole said the defection happened despite Thackeray being requested to not encourage it. "It is wrong to weaken an MVA partner. We will take this up at the meeting," he said, expressing a resolve to contest the seat.

May 7
Day Cong slammed Sena (UBT)