The Union agriculture minister wants to shed food and consumer affairs portfolio.
Just as talk in town about Sharad Pawar was how he has too much on his plate after taking charge as president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), here comes news from the horse’s mouth.
“I met the prime minister today and asked him to reduce my burden. I want to devote time to my party work,” the Union minister of agriculture, who is also the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), told reporters on Monday.
A source said Pawar wants to retain agriculture, but shed the portfolio of consumer affairs, food and public distribution. Also, he is reportedly seeking an additional ministerial berth for his party, which is probably meant for his daughter and political successor Supriya Sule.
Pawar’s request follows his taking over as ICC president, but for long he has been criticised by several Congress leaders for his failure to stem rising food prices. On Monday, through the opposition’s Bharat Bandh, the Congress also got a foretaste of rising popular discontent on prices. The question remains if Pawar, 70, is feeling cornered and seeking a way out.
Reputed for his win-win strategic moves, Pawar had just last week scoffed at former ICC CEO Malcolm Speed’s criticism that as a minister in the Indian government, he (Pawar) would have no time for the ICC job. Pawar argued that the ICC headquarters are in Dubai, and as it works on Saturdays and Sundays, he would not have any problem managing his time.
The Congress, too, said it does not have a problem with Pawar taking up the ICC assignment.
Following his meeting with the prime minister, the Congress downplayed his request. “Whatever is his wish... politics should not be brought in here. It (the statement) has to be seen from a human angle about a person who recently underwent a surgery,” a senior Congress leader said.
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