It is Deshmukh vs Pawar in Maharashtra

As the state assembly elections are nearing in Maharashtra, the political situation is taking very interesting turns. For a journalist, watching political developments unfolding is always a feast to the eyes. This time also the situation is no different. Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, who have shared the power for almost 10 years now are at loggerheads and opposition parties are also not in a better position. NCP has just completed 10 years of its existence and it has evolved from the Congress itself. In the last assembly elections, it managed to wrestle more seats than Congress and eventually claimed Chief Ministership. It was last moments at New Delhi deals that ensured five years rule of a Congressman at the helm.

That man being Vilasrao Deshmukh, he managed the state for four full years and could have continued had that fateful attack on Indian soil did not take in November 08. Deshmukh had to go from the political power from he is still an important man in the affairs of Congress party. He has a long rivalry with Sharad Pawar, who heads NCP starting from 1990 when Pawar was chief minister (then in Congress party) and Deshmukh was state industries minister. Deshmukh had rebelled (alongwith) Sushilkumar Shinde, currently union power minister and Ramrao Adik, who is nowhere in picture now. With his political acumen, Pawar survived that revolt but it created a permanent acrimony between two leaders. In the ensuing elections in 1995, Pawar was instrumental in the defeat of Deshmukh from the Latur constituency. It was so articulate a masterstroke that Deshmuk had to leave the Congress party only to return in 1997.

By 1999 assembly elections, things had changed so much. Shiv Sena & Bharatiya Janata Party alliance was in power and Congress was in the opposition benches. Just before the assembly elections, Pawar had left Congress and formed NCP. The two parties fought the elections separately and were surprised themselves when alliance was thrown out of power. The arithmetic of the seats forced two parties to come together, fulfilling Deshmukh's dream of becoming CM one day. But for him, his tenure from 1999 to 2004 was like 'Sleeping With the Enemy.' NCP tried every trick in the book to minimise Congress' reach and influence while strengthening its position manifold. Constant games and ploys by NCP reaped benefits in 2004 elections when NCP managed 71 seats while Congress could get 69 seats.

Surely Deshmukh did not forget this history when he, fresh from the victory in recently held Lok Sabha election, demanded that Congress should go alone in assembly elections. With NCP's influence fast eroding, Congressmen are toeing his line. Western Maharashtra is NCP's stronghold and when it could not get more than three seats (two of which are that of Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule), Congressman do not see any reward in forging an alliance with the party. Pawar's image being a coy politician, few leaders in the state are comfortable with working with him. Leaders like Digvijay Singh are putting pressure on the leader with almost a statement a day asking to merge NCP in Congress. Chief minister Ashok Chavan seems to play no role in either joining hands or dissociating. He has given himself to the dictate from New Delhi and will move as per so called High Command's orders.

That brings the wrestling to Deshmukh and Pawar only. These two leaders are face to face even though Pawar is largely low profile owing to recent dribble in elections. Pawar had turned the side owing to caste equations. He had played Maratha card so cunningly to take NCP ahead of all parties. This time, Maratha organisations are already enraged over non-fulfilment of their demands. These organisations were an important aid in Pawar's political calculations, always providing a solid voter base the strongman. Also, Pawar's excessive reliance on these organisations have delineated other castes resulting in the unification of these castes. This was the primary reason why Gopinath Munde won with thumping majority in Beed and this is the reason why NCP could get only 8 Lok Sabha seats from among 48 seats. Pawar is also experiencing a deficit of support from Dalits and Muslims. The new mega alliance of splinter Dalit groups has added salt to the injury. Ramdas Athavale's defeat in Shirdi constituency was seen as renewed expression of Pawar's back-stab politics.