‘Sharad Pawar should take the final call on allying with NDA’

As speculation gathers steam on whether the NCP(SP) led by Sharad Pawar will support the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on the Delimitation Bill, Mahayuti sources said the ball now lies in Mr. Pawar’s court.

The BJP has allegedly indicated to the party that it will accept the NCP(SP) as an alliance partner only if it merges with the NCP.

However, leaders from both the parties said that such a merger was unlikely. “There are leadership issues in that equation. In the NCP(SP), there is an internal rift between the second line of leadership after Sharad Pawar. In the NCP, there is a group of senior leaders who are unhappy with Sunetra Pawar and her sons’ leadership. It is difficult for both the parties to come together,” a senior leader told The Hindu.

Meanwhile, sources said that Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has been asked to stay away even as restlessness grows in the NCP(SP) camp. While some leaders had indicated their preference to join Mr. Shinde’s party, Mr. Shinde has so far not shown any interest in it.

“The message is very clear. If the NCP (SP) wants to support the NDA and be a part of it, it must join hands with the NCP and come together as a single party. The BJP is not keen on having two separate factions as part of the alliance, as it sends the wrong message to the BJP’s allies,” a senior leader in Mahayuti said.

Mr. Pawar’s party has eight Lok Sabha MPs. Ms. Sunetra Pawar’s NCP has one sitting Lok Sabha MP. The NCP(SP) had voted against the Bill during the last session when the entire Opposition rallied together under the INDIA Bloc to defeat the Bill. This time though, NCP(SP) leader Supriya Sule has hinted that if the government increases 50 per cent seats in all the States, and gives a written formula for the implementation of delimitation, “there will be very little reason to oppose”.

Three options

Mahayuti sources said that there were three options in front of Sharad Pawar – to merge with the NCP and join the NDA as a part of the ruling alliance, or to support the NDA from outside; or support only the Delimitation Bill and some specific issues. “The BJP has said it does not want the NCP(SP) as a separate party in the alliance. But the call is entirely the party’s now. It will have to decide what it wants to do,” a senior leader said.

Sources in the NCP said it was unlikely for the family to join hands under a unified leadership. “In NCP(SP), the cadres are not completely connected with Supriya Sule. Jayant Patil himself is not comfortable with Supriya Sule’s leadership. Rohit Pawar is uncomfortable with Jayant Patil and vice versa. In the NCP, some leaders are upset with the functioning style of Parth Pawar. The truth is, only a Pawar will be able to hold the party together. It is a Maratha party and a Maratha leader will have to be at the helm,” a leader said.