Farmers Movement Archive

Pawar respected across party lines, will be ideal UPA chief: Deshmukh

Nagpur: Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday said his party NCP’s national president Sharad Pawar would undoubtedly perform a stellar role if he succeeds Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Deshmukh was in the city to organize Pawar’s 80th birthday on a virtual platform where NCP leaders would join from across the state on Saturday and also a blood donation camp at Deshpande hall.He said the NCP supremo gets respect across the party lines and was well aware of the national scenario at present. “We are all privy to the rumours regarding his (Pawar) being appointed as UPA chairperson but it solely depends on the collective decision of parties who are part of the platform. If it happens, we will all welcome the decision,” said Deshmukh.“Much depends upon the opinions of the major parties in the alliance but it is a fact that leaders across the country know Pawar and vice-versa,” he said.Though the party and Pawar himself have dismissed any speculation regarding him replacing Gandhi, the issue repeatedly resurfaces in the media with the Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut also openly supporting the idea. The speculation was bolstered after Pawar had led a national delegation of the farmers on the farm laws issue. The BJP performance in Bihar and Greater Hyderabad civic polls have weakened the UPA’s role as opposition. In addition, the failure of the opposition to take on the BJP-led NDA on the petrol price, farmer issues and overall slump in the economic graph have underlined the need for someone like Pawar to lift UPA’s performance and steady its keel. Pawar’s role in forming the government in Maharashtra having Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, once thought almost impossible, had once again proved his deal-making skills. Deshmukh also said that there could not be any ambiguity that NCP chief will pull off the role with aplomb.

The Times of India

2020-12-12

Nagpur