Maharashtra Politics: Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana wrote, “When the UPA government was active against Modi-Shah, it was because of the good communication between Pawar and Modi that Shah got bail in a Godhra case.”
Sharad Pawar was re-elected party president at the NCP’s working committee meeting in Delhi on Saturday. The NCP’s political proposal calls for opposition unity. Party general secretary Prafulla Patel said that Pawar is the only person who can unite the entire opposition camp. Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana wrote, “When the UPA government was active against Modi-Shah, it was because of the good communication between Pawar and Modi that Shah got bail in a Godhra case.”
Uddhav Thackeray, whose leadership led the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP coalition government in Maharashtra, is now the editor of the party mouthpiece. It was there that the NCP leadership became uncomfortable due to the demand of Modi-Shah ‘communication’ with Pawar. The Sena mouthpiece wrote, “Amit Shah is repeatedly using bad language about Maharashtra. He should be grateful to Maharashtra and Marathi people. When the UPA government was active against Modi-Shah, it was because of good communication between Pawar and Modi that Shah got bail in a Godhra case.” After Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut was arrested by the ED, Uddhav became the editor of this mouthpiece.
NCP General Secretary Praful Patel claims that this allegation is ‘baseless’. His statement, “What does all this have to do with Pawar? There is no question of helping Amit Shah, that too in the Godhra case.” But Trinamool Congress sources recall that despite Pawar himself talking about opposition unity, when Mamata Banerjee requested him to be the candidate of the opposition alliance in the presidential election, he did not agree.
The NCP’s political manifesto on Saturday called for opposition unity, saying Pawar has played an important role in uniting like-minded parties and individuals to counter the BJP. Pawar himself said at the NCP’s national conference at Talkatora Stadium on Sunday, “Shivaji said, I will not bow down before the throne of Delhi. Today we are gathering in that same situation.”
Praful Patel argues that Pawar himself believes that he is not deserving of the post of Prime Minister. But he can outline the opposition coalition. That is why everyone from Mamata Banerjee to K Chandrasekhar Rao, MK Stalin to Nitish Kumar, all came to meet him. Trinamool sources say that Patel will direct the opposition alliance, but this may not happen. Political reality does not speak. Citing the example of the presidential election, Patel said, “Mamata had called a meeting of 21 parties. Everyone mentioned Pawar’s name in that meeting. Because everyone believes, this one man can unite the opposing camp.” Trinamool leaders say that even though everyone told them his name, Pawar did not agree.
