Sharad Pawar Defeated 'So-Called Chanakya' Of Indian Politics: NCP's Nawab Malik Mocks Amit Shah

Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Mumbai unit took a pod shot at Bhatatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Friday as the governing alliance without the saffron party is most likely to take place in the state.

The prospective coalition taking shape in Maharashtra includes the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress. (File Photo/ Getty)

Mumbai: As the government formation conundrum in Maharashtra has approached climax, Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Mumbai unit took a pod shot at Bhatatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Friday as the governing alliance without the saffron party is most likely to take place in the state. NCP National Spokesperson Nawab Malik said that "finally, Sharad Pawar has outsmarted" the so-called 'Chanakya' of Indian politics -- hinting at BJP National President Amit Shah -- as the three parties appeared set to stake claim to form the Maharashtra government, almost a month since the elections got over. Though referring to BJP President and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, without taking any names, Malik tweeted that "the throne of Delhi failed to make Maharashtra bend before it... Jai Maharashtra!" After BJP's resounding win in the 2014 General Elections and several Assembly Elections in several states of the country with Shah at the helm of it as the party president, several political pundits and analysts crowned him as the 'Chanakya' of Indian politics.

आख़िर भारतीय राजनीती के तथाकथित चाणक्य को @PawarSpeaks साहब ने मात दे ही दी , महाराष्ट्र को दिल्ली का तख्त नही झुका पाया, जय महाराष्ट्र।

— Nawab Malik (@nawabmalikncp) November 22, 2019

As off now, the prospective coalition taking shape in Maharashtra includes the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress. The BJP though feels otherwise. The silence in the saffron camps were momentarily broken when Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that the upcoming alliance of Sena-NCP-Congress was non-viable. "They are all parties with differing ideologies... Their government won't last for long," Gadkari said.

Upbeat Sena MP Sanjay Raut replying to a question whether the party would return to the NDA-fold if it was given the post of CM, said: "This is now a fight for the dignity and self-respect of Maharashtra. Now, even if we are offered the throne of (Lord) Indra, we are not interested... That time has elapsed." Maharashtra, which is currently under President's Rule, is most likely to get a three-parties-led government as the top leaders of Sena, NCP and Congress are scheduled to have a meeting around 4 pm which would be decisive on the question of government formation. After separate meetings of the Shiv Sena and the Congress, NCP and their smaller allies, a consensus has apparently emerged on Sena President Uddhav Thackeray's name for the post of Chief Minister. Sources in the three parties indicate that if all goes well, they could stake their claim to form the government before Governor BS Koshyari even today, though the final call will be taken at the evening meeting. To a question whether the Sena would return to the BJP fold if it was given the post of CM, Raut said: "This is now a fight for the dignity and self-respect of Maharashtra. Now, even if we are offered the throne of (Lord) Indra, we are not interested. That time has elapsed". Raut also confirmed that it is the "genuine desire of all party legislators" that Thackeray should assume the post of CM, indirectly ruling out the possibility of any other contenders. Meanwhile, top Congress leaders, including Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and others arrived in Mumbai this afternoon and are likely to attend the crucial meeting at 4 pm. In a midnight rendezvous, NCP President Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya Sule and nephew Ajit Pawar met for more than an hour with Thackeray, son Aditya and Raut. After the meeting from which they emerged around 12.30 am today, the Thackerays were seen smiling and Raut gave the 'thumbs up' sign to the media indicating all was proceeding as planned for the proposed 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' government.