NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday sought to instil a sense of instability in the new BJP Government in Maharashtra, by indicating that Devendra Fadnavis dispensation should not take its “outside support” for granted and simultaneously exhorting his party cadres to prepare themselves for a mid-term poll in the State.
On a day when Pawar disclosed that his party had remained “neutral” during November 12 confidence vote in the Assembly and held out a veiled threat to the BJP Government that his might consider withdrawing its unsolicited support to the new dispensation in the event of new dispensation taking “controversial” decisions, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed confidence that his Government would complete its full five-year term in office.
The typical Pawar play was on display on the first day of his party’s two-day “Chintan Shivir” that got underway at Alibaug in the neighbouring Raigad district, where the NCP chief spoke about the “instability” facing the Devendra Fadnavis Government and hinted for mid-term Assembly polls in the near future.
On his part, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray made it clear that his party would sit in the Opposition in the interest of people, till such time the atmosphere of political uncertainty and instability continued in the State.
Interestingly enough, Pawar — whose party leaders in the State face the threat of prosecution in cases of alleged corruption in the coming months — cautioned the BJP Government against paying attention to “controversial” issues without spelling as to what were those issues.
“I cannot say as to how this Government will last. But, if it conducts itself wisely and does not pay attention to the controversial issues, there is good chance that this Government will last long. But, if the new Government takes decisions of a different kind that will contribute to a perception among the people that it is not safeguarding the interests of the people, then no political party will go against the wishes of the people. If we have to abide the wishes of the people, then the question of our extending undiluted support to the Government does not arise,” Pawar said.
“The current political situation in the State is not conducive enough for ensuring long-term stability of the Government. If this situation worsens, then the State will have no alternative but to head for mid-term polls. Under the circumstances, the incumbent Government can also take a decision of different kind on its own (about going back to the people). I do not know if this Government has guts to do so,” the NCP chief added.
Exhorting the NCP cadres to prepare themselves for mid-term polls in the State, Pawar said: “Under the circumstances, we will have to do three things: First, we have to rebuild the party strongly. Secondly, we will have to plug the loopholes in our shortfall areas. Thirdly, we have to start preparing ourselves for mid-term term from now on itself. Such preparations are necessary since we do not know exactly as to when the mid-term polls will be held in the State”.
In a disclosure, Pawar said that contrary to speculation making rounds in the State political circles about the fate of confidence vote sought on the floor of the State Assembly by the BJP Government on November 12, the NCP had chosen to remain “neutral” in the entire House proceedings on that day.
“We have been reading reports in the media suggesting that the BJP Government won the vote of confidence on the floor of the Assembly and the nature of role played by the NCP. let me make the NCP’s stand on the confidence vote clear. We did not participate in the confidence vote. We neither supported nor opposed the confidence motion. In fact, we chose to remain neutral in the entire exercise,” Pawar added.