I want to be CM: Ajit Pawar; 1999 formula or nothing: Bhujbal

The power tussle within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) appears to be robbing the Congress of the upper hand it seemed to have got after the recent assembly elections.
On Tuesday, Ajit Pawar, the loser in the deputy chief ministerial sweepstakes, made no bones about the fact that his real goal was the chief ministership. “Yes, I want to be chief minister, but with majority support of the NCP.” That, of course, is not an immediate prospect, but should put incumbent Ashok Chavan on notice.

The man who finally got the deputy chief ministership, Chhagan Bhujbal, made it clear that the NCP would not accept changes in the 1999 power sharing formula. The Congress had planned to get the NCP to agree to fewer ministries, while also taking over the home portfolio. Bhujbal scotched the plan and made a veiled threat that if the Congress tried to wangle more berths from the NCP, his party was perfectly willing to give it outside support. “They (Congress) can have all 42 ministries. We will support them from outside to ensure the half-way mark of 145,” said Bhujbal.

The tough stands adopted by Ajit Pawar, nephew of party supremo Sharad Pawar, and Bhujbal have put paid to the Congress’ strategy of squeezing the NCP on cabinet berths. Faced with a pincer attack, the chief minister rushed to Delhi to consult the high command on the developments.

In the wake of Monday’s dramatic events within the NCP, when Sharad Pawar overruled strong sentiment in favour of Ajit Pawar for the deputy chief ministership, rumours flew thick and fast about what the latter would do now. One idea was that the younger Pawar, with 47 MLAs behind him, would seek the support of the Sena-BJP combo and independents to head a new coalition. It took pressure from the party high command to force Ajit Pawar to set these rumours to rest. However, he did not clarify whether his ambition to be chief minister was for this term of the Congress-NCP alliance or later. He said: “I am in politics and I have ambition. I will work to achieve my goal within the organisation through sincere work.” 

Even though Ajit Pawar and Bhujbal were rival claimants for the No 2 slot in the state government, on the issue of getting tough with the Congress they seemed unanimous. Ajit Pawar said: “There can be three options. One, the Congress can accept the 1999 formula where the NCP will retain 21 cabinet berths and leave the rest for the Congress.

There would be no change in portfolios, except that we will forgo our claims to the ministry of forests, environment and labour. Or, secondly, the Congress should accept the 2004 formula where it concedes the chief minister’s post to the NCP and bargains for three crucial portfolios like home, energy and finance. The third option is for the Congress and NCP to hold the chief ministership for two-and-a-half years each in rotation (the Kashmir formula).”

Bhujbal, who began his day by seeking the blessings of Lord Ganesha at Siddhivinayak Temple at Prabhadevi in central Mumbai, realised that the Congress was pressuring the NCP for concessions. He, therefore, tried to call the Congress’ bluff: “If the Congress has reservations in accepting the 1999 formula which entails the ministries of home, finance, energy, rural development and public works remaining with the NCP, they are free to take charge of the entire government.”

The hardline stance of the NCP emerged from a core committee meeting held at union civil aviation minister Praful Patel’s home on Tuesday afternoon. The Congress’ silence on cabinet formation has upset NCP leaders, and Bhujbal admitted as much, though he made light of the situation. “Till late evening I have not received any communication or proposal. I don’t know what is cooking in the Congress camp. We are sitting idle, as you can see.”
The NCP’s internal power squabbles have presented the Congress leadership with a situation where compromise will not be easy.