Sharad Pawar makes a U-turn, open to welcome rebels into party

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has softened his stance on rebel political leaders. He is now open to allowing them into his political outfit — Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), as against his stance about 10 days ago, but those who wanted to “weaken” the party would not be taken in.

Along with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray during the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) first joint media address on Tuesday post Lok Sabha election results, Mr. Sharad Pawar said the party did not have room for those who rebelled and split their parties. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had led a rebellion against his party leader Mr. Thackeray in June 2022. Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Ajit Pawar walked out of the undivided NCP to join the Mahayuti alliance, also having BJP, a year later.

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“If their [rebel legislators’] joining will help to strengthen the party and boost the party workers’ morale, I do not have a problem in taking them into the party’s fold,” the 83-year-old Mr. Sharad Pawar said, adding that the fellow party colleagues would be taken into confidence prior to welcoming them and their decision would be “considered and respected”.

Hinting at his nephew Mr. Ajit Pawar, the octogenarian leader put forward a caveat that those who have worked to weaken the party by being within the outfit and working against its interests will not be taken back. Mr. Sharad Pawar made the statement while welcoming former Union Minister Suryakanta Patil from Nanded into the party’s fold in Mumbai.

‘Made a mistake’

On joining the NCP (SP), Ms. Patil said, “I made a mistake by joining the BJP. I did not do any work there for 10 years. I had left the NCP out of anger. I request Sharad Pawar Saheb to give me a chance to work for the party.”

She had quit the undivided NCP to join the BJP in 2014. The scribe-turned-former Union Minister’s return to Mr. Sharad Pawar’s side is expected to boost the party’s prospects in Marathwada’s Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani and Beed and a part of Vidarbha region — Yavatmal.

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Post Mahayuti’s lacklustre performance in the Lok Sabha elections, MVA leaders have been sharing publicly that many rebels want to return to the parties part of the Opposition alliance. NCP (SP) State president Jayant Patil claimed that 10-15 MLAs are in touch with Mr. Sharad Pawar. Member of Parliament from Baramati and Mr. Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule had aired her view a fortnight ago that she is open to meet such leaders who might be contemplating to switch sides.

When the NCP split in July last year, 41 MLAs supported the nephew, only 11 supported the uncle. In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, MVA allies got 30 — NCP (SP) secured eight, Shiv Sena (UBT) won nine and the Congress bagged 13. The Mahayuti alliance won 17 — Mr. Ajit Pawar’s NCP managed to get only one seat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena bagged seven and the BJP secured nine. The only independent winner lent the support to the Congress.