Contradictions within MVA pose greater threat to Oppn unity in state

Two weeks ago, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a statement on Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar apologising to the British, which led to an uproar from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as it claimed that Gandhi had insulted Savarkar. Two days later, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, in his rally at Malegaon, clarified that his party respects Savarkar and advised Gandhi to avoid such statements.

As a mark of protest, it did not even join the opposition’s meeting at Delhi. Senior leaders including NCP chief Sharad Pawar had to intervene and ask Gandhi to not make statements which corner allies.

While Pawar brokered peace between Sena (UBT) and Congress, he also chose to puncture Congress’ agenda of demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) against industrialist Gautam Adani’s business dealings.

Speaking at a press conference in Nagpur on Sunday, Pawar said that his party supports the demand of the JPC. The NCP chief, who is said to have a good relationship with Adani — against whom Congress is protesting across the country — said his party supports the demand of JPC probe on Adani issue after the Hindenburg report.

“We as a party support the JPC. But there is a second angle to it. The CJI has ordered a five-member expert committee to report on (Adani). When CJI has directed this, it needs to be also taken into consideration,” he said. Another senior NCP leader and leader of opposition in the state Legislative Assembly, Ajit Pawar, on Monday countered Thackeray’s jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the row over the latter’s marksheet.

“Yes, I have been hearing about this row (over a degree). Now, he has been the Prime Minister of India for nine years. Was degree a requirement to get that job,” asked Pawar in a press conference on Monday.

Pawar further said that more than the PM’s degree, real burning issues in the country are inflation, price rise, unemployment and deteriorating law and order. “I think day-to-day problems of common people are more important and we should focus our concentration on those issues,” he said.

In his speech at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Thackeray had questioned the PM about the row over his degree. “What type of degree does he possess that he cannot show it to anyone? The college in which he studied should be proud of him, but why can’t that college show that proud feeling,” asked Thackeray.

Meanwhile, MVA’s rally in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was not attended by state Congress chief Nana Patole, who claimed that he was in Delhi. NCP leader Ajit Pawar is also under the scanner for going soft on Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.

A row over whether Thackeray or Sharad Pawar will lead the MVA going to polls is also likely to erupt soon.

The leaders of all three parties, however, continue to maintain that MVA stands united against the BJP. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has maintained that there is no threat to the unity of the MVA and smaller differences, if any, can be sorted out easily. NCP state president Jayant Patil has also been touring different parts of the state, where he has maintained that the MVA will continue in Maharashtra.

“The MVA was formed on the common minimum programme. More importantly, the agenda is to safeguard this country’s democracy and Constitution. We may have different programmes at the party level but as MVA we are together,” said Patole when asked about the differences of opinions in the MVA.