Mumbai : In a surprise move, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar who is finalising his strategy for the next Lok Sabha elections, has decided to contest from the Pune seat despite his public announcement that he would not contest elections in future.
He may offer Mumbai North East seat to Congress to get Pune from them and this may result in denying current MP and Mumbai NCP president Sanjay Dina Patil an entry to Lok Sabha.
A day before Pawar held a two-day meeting with party MPs, MLAs and local leaders at Mumbai, a high-level meeting of party MPs was held at New Delhi. Pawar was not present personally, but his message and strategy were conveyed to MPs to solicit their opinion. A highly placed leader present at the meeting said that Pawar wished to get elected unopposed from Pune. ” There is almost no possibility of Congress fielding Suresh Kalmadi again and Congress does not have any strong candidate for this seat. Pawar was scouting for a safe seat for himself and now want to contest from Pune. If Congress agrees, he will somehow convince BJP not to field any candidate and ensure that he will get elected unopposed,” a source disclosed. Knowing Pawar’s good equation with BJP’s top brass, a possibility of such unopposed election can not be ruled out. After Pawar shifts from Madha constituency of Solapur district, senior leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Singh Mohite Patil will be fielded from Madha.
Pawar wants to leave the Mumbai North East Lok Sabha seat for Congress by swapping Pune with them. “He feels that since NCP’s position is very bad in Mumbai and in 2009, Sanjay Dina Patil got elected due to Congress votes and division of votes in MNS-Shiv Sena. This time Congress’ position in Mumbai too is bad and Patil’s victory chances are less,” was the view of Pawar. This clearly hints that Pawar will drop Mumbai NCP president Sanjay Dina Patil in the next election.
Pawar was strongly challenged by farmer leader Raju Shetty who won Hatkanangale Lok Sabha election by defeating NCP’s then sitting MP Nivedita Mane.
Stung by this, Pawar now want to take revenge. He has decided to deny Mane one more chance and to field Rural Development minister Jayant Patil from this constituency. He firmly believes since Patil enjoys high respect in this area and had good image, he will easily ensure Shetty’s defeat.
Though Congress is expected to demand Kolhapur Lok Sabha seat from NCP as winner from this seat- Sadashiv Mandlik has joined Congress. But Pawar will not swap this seat and trying to hard to ensure his defeat.
Pawar will not much focus on Vidarbha as they have very less presence in this part. Due to drought and Ajit Pawar’s statement, he has decided not to much focus on Marathwada. NCP will ask Ankush Tope, father of Higher and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Tope to contest from Jalna and party is much confident about his victory. PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal will be fielded from Nashik as Pawar feels due to MNS growing strength in this region may affect party’s fortune in case other candidate is fielded.
Pramod Chunchuwar
