Sharad Pawar’s NCP stopped short of slamming Sonia Gandhi on Thursday as a bad coalition manager even as it heaped praise on prime minister Manmohan Singh
NEW DELHI: Sharad Pawar’s NCP stopped short of slamming Sonia Gandhi on Thursday as a bad coalition manager even as it heaped praise on prime minister Manmohan Singh for successfully running a coalition government.
In a strategy apparently designed to create a schism between the two top leaders of the ruling front, NCP general secretary DP Tripathi drew a distinction between the attitudes of the government and the Congress towards allies.
Although he tried to deny that he was comparing Gandhi and Singh, it didn’t cut much ice as he criticised the Congress but praised the government in the same breath.
It was the harshest attack on the Congress so far by an ally. “The government functions according to coalition dharma, but the dharma is lacking in the UPA. The Congress has shown neither generosity nor magnanimity towards its allies,’’ he declared, adding that the largest party in the coalition always tried to “minimise’’ its partners.
The main charge he leveled was the lack of regular UPA meetings and minimal consultation on issues. He claimed that the NCP has particularly been a target, with the Congress making every effort to weaken it. The PM, on the other hand, functioned in a democratic manner, Tripathi said, and always consulted his Cabinet colleagues before taking decisions.
Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari hit back by asking the NCP to observe coalition dharma before lecturing others. But privately, Congress leaders were nonplussed by the attack and couldn’t seem to fathom Pawar’s game in trying to create a divide between Gandhi and Singh. “What will he achieve?’’ asked one Congress leader from Maharashtra.
However, there must be a strategy because the statements emanating from the NCP are following a pattern. A few days ago, Pawar created a flutter, first by suggesting that the UPA contest the forthcoming general elections as a pre-poll alliance, then by proposing that Singh be projected as the prime ministerial candidate of this alliance. Today is the third attempt to set the cat among the pigeons.
The Congress was quick to counter Pawar’s first two suggestions. Party spokespersons said the Congress would have state-specific electoral alliances rather than a national one and the prime minister would be chosen after the results.
The only hint of what could be Pawar’s motive came in Tripathi’s opening remarks about the NCP’s emergence as a national party. He said it was one of three parties that can claim to be in government at the Centre and in five states. The NCP is part of the government in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Goa. It also boasts of having MLAs in 11 state assemblies.
a_jerath@dnaindia.net
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