No Madhya Pradesh-like situation in Maharashtra, says NCP supremo Sharad Pawar

NCP president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said he has full confidence incapabilities of Madhya PradeshChiefMinisterKamal Nath, whose 14-month-old government is on the brink of collapsefollowing the rebellion by Jyotiraditya Scindia and MLAs loyal to him.

Pawar, a former Congressman, said if talks had been initiated with Scindia, who joined the BJP on Wednesday, a day after quitting the country's oldest political party, the present situation won't have arisen in the adjoining state.

Talking to reporters, he said, "People believe that Kamal Nath can do miracles. It will be known in the next one or two days if it will really happen. I don't know the composition of the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha.

"But, if there was adialogue with "raja saheb" (Scindia), this situation wouldn't have arisen. He wantedto be given new responsibilities after his defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. But, this is not Congress cultureand it is not easy."

Asked if the Congress was at fault, Pawar avoided a direct reply, saying, "I don't know about Congress fault. But it was felt that opportunity should have been given to a good person."

The former Union minister rejectedcriticism that Congress lacks strong leadership. "There is leadershipin the Congress and it is capable."

The Maratha strongman ruled out a Madhya Pradesh-like political drama playing out in Maharashtra.

"TheMaha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra is doing well and is on the right path. There is no doubt that the MVA government will last its full term," he said.

The fact that the media has not got any material to write against it (MVA government) means all is well, he said.

Pawar was full of praise for Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

"He is doing good (work) and taking everyone along," said the NCP chief, whose party is one of the constituents of Shiv Sena-led government.

To a question on speculation that days of the MVA government are numbered after the imminent fall of the Nath regime, Pawar quipped, "The Shimga (Holi) festival just got over and there is no other mahurat left for the opposition."

Stating that the Yes Bank crisis did not happen in a day, Pawar said India's economic situation is a cause of concern.

"What was the department of banking doing? It is answerable. The details will be out after a probe," he said.

Pawar said he along with non-BJP leaders like Mamata Banerjee, H D Deve Gowda, Sitaram Yechuri and Yashwant Sinha had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking immediate release of former J&K chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.

"What is their crime? This sends a wrong message in the valley. J&K is a sensitive state (now a Union Territory) and it is wrong to allow the sentiments of the people to be against the country," he said.

On Muslim reservation, Pawar said Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik had highlighted the NCP stand on the issue and the party stood by it.

Asked about the need for an SIT probe into the Koregaon-Bhima violence, Pawar said, "I am not aware if the government will form the SIT. But our demand stays."

Asked about the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, he said the NCP has not yet fielded a second candidate so there is no question of withdrawing.

Pawar, a sitting Rajya Sabha MP, on Wednesday, filed his nomination papers here for the March 26 election to the Upper House of Parliament.

"The three alliance partners (Sena-NCP-Congress) will sit together today or tomorrow morning and take a final decision. The second candidate will file papers tomorrow," Pawar said.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, his deputy Ajit Pawar, NCP ministers, Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan, were prominent among those present when Pawar filed his nomination.

Nineteen rebel Congress MLAs, including six ministers, are camping in Bengaluru, while three others (Bisahulal Singh, Aidal Singh Kansana and Manoj Choudhary) are in other places.

All of them have resigned from the assembly in support of Scindia, pushing the Nath government in deep crisis.