During the campaign for the Maharashtra assembly elections, a sentence was making waves on social media. It was ‘Wherever the old man is walking, good things are happening there…’ At least every person who loved Sharad Pawar knew the meaning of this line.
Candidates from Sharad Pawar’s faction thought they would reach the assembly with the ‘magic’ of their prominent leader. This was why wherever NCP (SP) candidates were contesting, there was a huge demand for Sharad Pawar’s rallies.
84-year-old Sharad Pawar also held 69 public meetings across the state because of this demand. He kept explaining his political stance through press conferences from time to time. And he also tried to sway the people to his side.
But despite all the efforts, Sharad Pawar got only 10 seats out of 86. So is Sharad Pawar’s ‘charisma’ over? To know this, we spoke to journalists and political analysts.
Why are questions being raised?
Sharad Pawar, who won the Baramati Lok Sabha seat a few months ago, did not get the expected success in the Baramati assembly elections.
Therefore, once again questions have been raised on Sharad Pawar’s political influence.
The biggest question being asked is whether Sharad Pawar will be able to stand in politics once again.
Also, what will be the future of Sharad Pawar and his party?
And most importantly, has Sharad Pawar’s ‘charisma’ ended in Maharashtra politics?
Opportunity to return?
Sharad Pawar has faced difficult situations many times in his political journey.
But, in the last four decades, Sharad Pawar has made a comeback in politics every time by using his political experience and skills.
Before the Lok Sabha elections, his nephew Ajit Pawar had filed a case against most of the senior leaders including the party. But, Sharad Pawar won the Lok Sabha elections with a new party and a new election symbol.
However, he could not repeat this success in the assembly elections. Will Pawar be able to make a comeback once again after the defeat in the assembly elections?
Talking about Sharad Pawar’s future, senior political analyst Dr. Suhas Palshikar told BBC Marathi, “Since 2014, this question has been asked continuously what will be the future of NCP? The reason for this is that this party and its leaders have often been lured to go with the BJP. But, we can see that they decided to go with the Congress instead of the BJP.”
Dr. Suhas Palshikar says, “Although it is true that Sharad Pawar has overcome such difficult situations before, an opportunity is required to get out of such difficult times.”
“And at the moment it is not possible to say where Sharad Pawar will get that opportunity in today’s era. This is going to prove to be a big challenge for him.”
Recalling the political crisis in Sharad Pawar’s life, Dr. Palshikar says, “Sharad Pawar had overcome such a political crisis for the first time around the year 1985.”
“At that time there was a void in Maharashtra’s politics. During the decline of Janata Dal and Janata Party, he was able to re-emerge in politics.”
“The second phase after that was in 1999 when Sharad Pawar had a conflict with Congress. Even after that conflict, Sharad Pawar immediately reconciled with Congress and maintained a central position in Maharashtra’s politics.”
”At this stage, the number of votes Sharad Pawar is getting has reduced. This time Sharad Pawar has got 10 to 11 percent votes. And his seats are also very less.”
Dr Palshikar said, “If the challenge is how to re-establish the party in this situation, then I believe that it will depend more on the determination of his fellow leaders in the party rather than Sharad Pawar alone.”
”Secondly, the use of language calling Sharad Pawar a miracle should be kept aside. Now it will be necessary to see whether Sharad Pawar has done these miracles alone or has done some miracle by bringing others together.”
Difficult to predict
What will be Sharad Pawar’s future? Such a question is being asked now.
Because, given the defeat of Sharad Pawar’s party in the assembly elections and the entire political situation in the state, Sharad Pawar is facing a big challenge.
Talking about Sharad Pawar’s future, senior journalist Kumar Ketkar said in an interview to BBC Marathi, “At one time ideology, leader, and party policies used to be important in Maharashtra. None of these were discussed in this year’s election.”
“It is difficult to predict Sharad Pawar because he is a long-distance runner. Sharad Pawar has seen many ups and downs in the last few years. And Sharad Pawar has never come under pressure from those ups and downs, rather he has bounced back.”
“Sharad Pawar has gone among the people many times and has struggled. Therefore, it is impossible to say what Sharad Pawar will do now.”
About Ajit Pawar, Kumar Ketkar said, “When Sharad Pawar left Congress in 1999, he formed a separate party. But, Ajit Pawar did not form his own party.”
“He even claimed that he is the real NCP. He did not even change his election symbol. He got the political advantage of this in the elections, which can be seen.”
Talking about Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, Loksatta editor Girish Kuber said, “Looking at the split in Shiv Sena and NCP in the last two years, it can be said that Sharad Pawar’s party has become a tragedy and Uddhav Thackeray’s party has become a joke.”
“Because, the leader who held more than 100 meetings at the age of 84, who put his heart and soul into this election, his party has not got any special success in this election.”
“Rather, the strength of his party has decreased. It seems that now Sharad Pawar will have to do politics to save his existence.”
End of political charisma?
After a career spanning nearly five decades, Sharad Pawar has given many indications of retirement in the last few years.
Even during the assembly election campaign, Sharad Pawar had given such a statement that he would no longer be involved in electoral politics.
But, many people who know Sharad Pawar’s politics predicted that even if Sharad Pawar does not contest the elections, he cannot leave politics.
Now after the defeat in the assembly elections, is his politics over? Such a question is being asked.
Talking about this, senior journalist Rahi Bhide said, ”I have seen Sharad Pawar’s politics very closely since 1985. Therefore, I can firmly say that Sharad Pawar is not going to give up.”
“It is not good for him to accept such a big defeat at this stage of his political life.”
“Some of those who are with Sharad Pawar right now may think about the next five years and may leave Sharad Pawar due to this.”
Rahi Bhide says that as Sharad Pawar grew older, the political complaints of his colleagues increased, he could not even handle his nephew.
Rahil Bhide, “Now the time has come for Sharad Pawar to field a member of his own family against Ajit Pawar. How much will leaders like Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar be able to handle this party in the future?”
Talking about this, Times of India journalist Alka Dhupkar told BBC News, “I will never say that Sharad Pawar is finished, because anything can happen in politics.”
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