Has NCP become BJP’s B team in Maharashtra?

Sharad Pawar sidelined as BJP-backed ‘syndicate’ reshapes NCP leadership after Ajit Pawar’s death

Has the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) become the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s ‘B’ team in Maharashtra in the wake of Sunetra Pawar swearing in as Deputy Chief Minister following the death of her husband, Ajit Pawar, in a recent plane crash?

This question is doing the rounds in political circles in the wake of Sunetra Pawar being divested of the key Finance portfolio, which was held by her late husband, and NCP founder and Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar’s admission that he was not aware of the decision.

Allegedly, a ‘syndicate’ of pro-BJP leaders — including former Union Minister Praful Patel, the NCP’s number two as working president; State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare; and senior Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, the party’s OBC face — was instrumental in taking the swift decision.

Sharad Pawar, the patriarch of the Pawar family, has been deliberately sidelined. This development further strengthens Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis' hand as it will help the BJP marginalise Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena (which is an ally) while also cutting off the Maratha strongman.

The breakneck speed with which events unfolded until Sunetra Pawar’s swearing-in, disregarding the mourning period, suggests that this ‘syndicate’ sought to block Sharad Pawar’s involvement in the developments after Ajit Pawar’s death.

Although the BJP, including Fadnavis, claimed it would follow whatever decision the NCP took, the developments bear an unmistakable BJP imprint. Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s presence at Ajit Pawar’s funeral was far from routine.

Ajit Pawar’s exit from the political scene has emboldened the BJP to turn the NCP into its ‘B’ team, consolidating control over State politics. Sunetra Pawar, a political novice, is not a mass leader like Ajit Pawar. He resisted the BJP’s Hindutva narrative and consistently invoked Jyotirao Phule, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj, B R Ambedkar, and Y B Chavan.

It is strange but true — Ajit Pawar has become an even bigger leader after his tragic death on January 28 in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. 

The road ahead for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction he was heading remains uncertain, as it will inevitably be caught in the diverse pulls and pressures of Maharashtra’s turbulent politics in the days and months to come.

His death coincided with unity talks between his faction and Sharad Pawar’s, with February 12 set for a formal announcement. Some ‘syndicate’ leaders and Fadnavis now dispute that claim, signalling that the unity process has run into rough weather—a scenario that suits the BJP.

As things stand, the BJP, which is quick to adapt to evolving political situations, is expected to call the shots. This benefits Fadnavis, as Sunetra Pawar’s elevation replaces her experienced late husband, who knew the machinery of governance, and gives him carte blanche.

Most of the NCP (Ajit Pawar)’s 40 MLAs, anxious about their future, are rallying behind Sunetra Pawar, viewing her as the safest option for now. The election of the next NCP chief appears to have been deferred, sidelining Sharad Pawar and his unity efforts. For long, the senior Pawar has wanted his daughter Supriya Sule to be firmly established in politics. Clearly, there are wheels within wheels.

Ajit Pawar stood head and shoulders above all Maratha leaders in the Mahayuti. No other leader from the dominant community, including those in the BJP, could match his stature. The massive turnout — lakhs of youth, especially rural youth — at the State funeral in Baramati sent a strong message about Ajit Pawar’s stature and work across western Maharashtra and Marathwada. 

The BJP is going all out to project Ajit Pawar as a great leader and to perpetuate his memory. In an aggressive bid to claim his legacy, the party issued full-page tributes in newspapers, while Fadnavis penned articles eulogising him.

All told, the BJP is firmly in the driver's seat in the NCP’s affairs. By aligning with the wishes of the Ajit Pawar family and party MLAs, it offers them protective cover. The deeper strategy is clear: with Fadnavis providing that cover, many of the 40 MLAs are likely to gravitate toward the BJP ahead of the next elections.

How Sharad Pawar plays his cards remains to be seen.

Sunil Gatade and Venkatesh Kesari are senior journalists.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.)