CHAITANYA MARPAKWAR Mumbai
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar accepting Congress offer to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha has created ripples in his home state.
Political observers pointed out that though Sachin is a nominee of
the President of India, it is a known fact that such nominations are at the behest of the ruling party.
Many see in the move a Congress masterstroke, with which it has caught and bowled its alliance partner, the Sharad Pawar- led NCP. NCP observers, too, admit that the move has come as a jolt for Pawar, who has seemingly championed the cause of Indian cricket.
‘Many considered Sachin close to Pawar. However, with Sachin taking the Congress route to the Upper House, Pawar and his aides in the BCCI would be hardly pleased as punch,’said an NCP office bearer.
Interestingly, the Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray- led Maharashtra Navnriman Sena, which claim to champion the cause of the alt145 Marathi manoos,alt39too have been caught napping. By nominating Sachin to the Rajya Sabha, the Congress can pat itself on the back for catapulting two Maharashtrians onto the national political stage. The first was President Pratibha Patil.
While the Sena has been one of Sachins most vocal critics, the cricketer has a rapport with MNS chief Raj Thackeray and has also been spotted at some of MNS events.
Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna had hit out at Tendulkar more than once.
alt145alt39Sachin is not greater than Maharashtra. He may be a great cricketer, but his runs and shots belong to the cricket boards record books. They do very little to enhance Maharashtras pride,’an article in the Saamna had said.
The senior Thackeray has also passed terse comments, but Tendulkar has refrained from reacting to any of the barbs.
Maharashtra tourism minister and NCP leader Chaggan Bhujbal had even attempted to rope in Sachin as the States brand ambassador but the government was kept in waiting for almost two years. Later the government spiked its plans.
‘Sachin being a national icon belongs to the entire country. We cannot limit his role by appropriating him in this manner. Hence we will not insist that Sachin accepts our invitation,’tourism minister Chhagan Bhujbal had then said. However with Sachin now becoming a mascot of sorts for the Congress, NCP has every reason to feel slighted.
