Maharashtra: UBT's Mouthpiece Saamana Criticises Sharad Pawar, Says Failed To Groom NCP Successor

The Saamana, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena's (UBT) mouthpiece, took an unexpected stance by condemning Sharad Pawar, the party's primary ally.

The paper accused Pawar of not preparing a successor capable of leading the party towards progress. Nevertheless, Saamana acknowledged Pawar's strategic move of spoiling BJP's intentions of dividing the NCP with his resignation episode, labeling it a "masterstroke," reports The Indian Express.

“Sharad Pawar is like an old tree of the political field. He exited the Congress and set up his own party, the Nationalist Congress Party. He took the party forward, which made its presence felt.

"However, he has failed to create a leadership that will hold the reins of the party after him. The party has its roots in Maharashtra…,” the paper said in an editorial.

“There is no doubt that Pawar is a big leader on the national platform and his word has respect in national politics. However, he has failed to create his successor who can take his party forward. And that is the reason why his party was rattled when he decided to resign as the president. Every party worker was worried about his fate,” it added.

The editorial said: “The moment Pawar announced his decision to step down from party president’s post, it caused a sensation in national politics which was but natural. More than national politics, it affected his party more. Because Sharad Pawar means Nationalist Congress Party….”

"The BJP split the Shiv Sena. Likewise, it had a plan to break the NCP into two. Some people were ready with ‘bags’ and had kept lodging-boarding ready for those arriving there. However, Sharad Pawar’s masterstroke ensured that the BJP’s game plan went to the dustbin,” it added.

In their editorial, it was stated that a faction within the NCP had intentions of having Sharad Pawar align with the BJP to alleviate the scrutiny from national investigative agencies like the CBI, ED, and IT Department.

According to Saamana's editorial, Sharad Pawar was under pressure from members of the NCP to set up a committee.

“He appointed a jumbo-sized committee. And who made it to the committee? Many of them were those who were insisting that the NCP join hands with the BJP. But due to the anger among party workers, the committee was left with no option but to reject the resignation of Sharad Pawar as party president.

"The committee was to tell Pawar that, ‘hereafter only he and he will remain the president.’ Thus, before the third edition could end, Pawar brought the curtains down on it,” it said.

“At the same time, the event helped Pawar understand where his party was veering towards. Pawar said those who want to leave the NCP can do so and he will not stop them. That means those who wanted to leave have been stopped in their tracks, at least temporarily. However, the BJP’s lodging-boarding facility still remains in place,” the editorial added.