'Whatever decision he takes are thoroughly thought through for its repercussions.'
One of the founding members of the Nationalist Congress Party -- formed by then Congressman Sharad Pawar after his ouster from the Congress when Sonia Gandhi was party president in 1999, as he opposed to accept a foreigner as a leader of the Congress -- Congress leader Tariq Anwar worked closely with Pawar for 19 years till he rejoined the Congress in 2018.
Anwar tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com that Sharad Pawar is not known to take any hasty decisions and his surprise resignation as the NCP's national president must be a "thoroughly-thought-through-decision."
You were a founding member of the NCP along with Sharad Pawar and Purno A Sangma. Are you surprised by Sharad Pawar's decision to quit as the national president of the party he founded 24 years ago?
While you ask me this question there have been reports that he is rethinking his decision. I don't think his resignation will be accepted by the NCP leadership and workers. I am sure he will take back his resignation.
Having said that it is up to him to reconsider his decision or stick to it. Every leader has a right to take a decision about his future course of action.
It is now entirely up to him and his party colleagues to take a view on his decision for the future of the NCP.
There are reports as well about a feud within the Pawar family...
I don't know anything about it. I can't comment about it because I left the NCP in 2018 and there has been no connection with the NCP (or Sharad Pawar) since then.
I can assure you that Pawar sahab will not take a decision without thinking it through. I know him well to state that he will never take a decision in haste.
He is a seasoned politician, very astute and will not have made this announcement (of his resignation) without ensuring that the NCP will have a bright political future (in Maharashtra).
He is one of the smartest politicians in the country and he would know that his resignation will not jeopardise the NCP's political future in Maharashtra.
I have worked with him for almost 19 years (as one of the founding member of the NCP), and even before that. I can confidently tell you that he is a very calculative politician.
Whatever decision he takes are thoroughly thought through for its repercussions and that way he is a very smart politician.
Why is Sharad Pawar so important for the NCP, in Maharashtra, and nationally as part of a united Opposition that is looking forward to give a tough fight to the BJP in the 2024 general election?
I must say that his presence in the Maharashtra politics, at this juncture, is very crucial. Without Pawar sahab, the Maha Vikas Aghadi will be on a weak ground and may not be able to take on the BJP.
Nationally, Pawar sahab is known for his secular credentials and politics. Any secular front that will combine its might against the BJP will need a stalwart like him. He has a role to play in Maharashtra too. He has a role to play in safeguarding the secular spirit of India.
One of the reasons given by the NCP's Ajit Pawar for his uncle's resignation was his age. Would you subscribe to age being one of the factors behind his resignation?
Pawar sahab himself said he is resigning as the president of the NCP and not as the Rajya Sabha MP or from politics. He will continue as an MP and give his services to the nation. But then I still believe he has made up his mind (about resigning as the national president of the NCP) with all thought.
There are reports still floating around that he may rethink his resignation.
How much weight would you give to an argument that Sharad Pawar still has prime ministerial ambitions and he has resigned to focus on that aim seeing a chance that perhaps the tide is turning against Narendra Modi, his charisma is waning, and he will be acceptable as a consensus candidate to be the prime minister if at all India sees a fractured mandate in 2024 general election?
Every politician has some ambition, but one must also see what the ground reality is.
