Sharad Pawar’s disinterest in chief minister’s chair: A Machiavellian strategy?

NCP chief Sharad Pawar

While there is dissonance in the MVA alliance over the announcement of the chief ministerial candidate before the Maharashtra assembly polls, Sharad Pawar recently surprised everyone by announcing that his party is not interested in the CM’s post.

Pawar’s statement should not be construed as altruism. With this utterance, he has aimed for two targets with a single shot.

Uddhav Thackeray is once again looking forward to occupying the CM’s chair. Hence, he is repeatedly urging his coalition partners to announce the CM candidate in advance.

However, there are aspirants for the same post within the Congress as well.

Also read: Boon or Bane? Why Ajit Pawar’s political ‘neutrality’ could cut both ways

Leaders like Prithviraj Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, and Nana Patole are contenders for the post.

The party maintains that the CM candidate will be decided once the alliance secures a majority in the elections.

Sharad Pawar has also not supported Thackeray’s demand and has been tight-lipped on the issue. However, on Friday, he broke his silence and said that changing the government was his priority and that he was not interested in the CM’s chair.

Those who have followed Pawar’s Machiavellian politics over the years believe that showing disinterest in the top position is his post-poll strategy.

Pawar is known to be a tough negotiator.

In 2004, his party, the NCP, had an opportunity to install its leader as CM. The NCP had emerged as the single largest party by securing 71 seats, with its alliance partner Congress trailing at 69.

However, Pawar forfeited the CM’s post in exchange for an additional cabinet berth in the UPA government at the center. In the state government, his party secured vital portfolios like home and finance.

If the MVA returns to power, Sharad Pawar could again demand important portfolios in lieu of giving up his party’s claim to the CM’s post.

According to NCP (SP) sources, it would not be prudent for Pawar to put his party in the race for the chief ministerial position, as it could not only add to the strife within the MVA but also lead to fissures within his own party.

Supporters of Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule, and party chief Jayant Patil also want to see them as CM.

Although seat-sharing talks within the MVA have begun, the formula for selecting the CM candidate has not been finalized.

While Congress leaders stress that the party winning the highest number of seats should get the CM’s chair, Uddhav Thackeray is against this.

Thackeray has argued that such a formula would be detrimental for the alliance, as all constituent parties would strive to get more of their candidates elected and would not support those of their allies.

The Congress, which had its CM in Maharashtra consistently for 15 years (1999-2014), is confident of regaining the chair after emerging as the biggest party in the Lok Sabha polls. It won 13 seats, while Shiv Sena (UBT) won 9 and NCP (SP) won 8 seats.