The newly revised edition of Sharad Pawar's autobiography, 'Lok Maze Sangati' (People Accompany Me), released on Tuesday, offers insights into the formation and downfall of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, which was a coalition of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Congress, and Shiv Sena.
Pawar, the founder of the NCP, criticised former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's leadership abilities and his inability to address the discontent within his own party. He claimed that Thackeray lacked political acumen and did not stay up-to-date on political happenings, which were essential qualities for a Chief Minister, reported news agency PTI.
In June 2022, Thackeray resigned after several Shiv Sena MLAs, including Eknath Shinde, rebelled against him. According to Pawar, the Shiv Sena leadership failed to control this outburst of discontent, which resulted in the downfall of the MVA government.
Pawar claimed that the formation of the MVA was not simply a power game, but was a strong response to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) attempts to diminish the importance of other political parties. He stated that he anticipated attempts to destabilize the MVA government, but did not foresee the internal problems within the Shiv Sena.
Pawar noted that while Thackeray's Facebook Live interactions with the public during the COVID-19 pandemic were well-received by the middle class, his decision to visit the Mantralaya, the government's headquarters, only twice during the pandemic was difficult to comprehend.
The revised edition of "Lok Maze Sangati" covers events from 2015 onwards and offers readers a glimpse into Pawar's personal and political life. The book is available in Marathi, and the release has been well-received by Pawar's supporters and critics alike.
At the launch of the autobigraphy, Pawar announced his resignation, sending the political arena into a tizzy. The timing of the resignation is what started a political frenzy, worrying NCP's allies in Maharashtra — the Congress and the Shiv Sena. His resignation came at a time when the Shiv Sena is still reeling under the coup effected by Eknath Shinde last year and the NCP itself is dealing with uncertainty over the next move by former Deputy Chief Minister and Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar. There has been a growing buzz in political circles that the younger Pawar may quit NCP to join the BJP.
(With PTI inputs.)