Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Monday called on his party’s ministers in Maharashtra to convert the drought conditions prevailing in the state’s 146 talukas into an ‘opportunity’ to increase NCP’s presence and consolidate its position ahead of parliamentary and Assembly elections in 2014.
“Travel extensively into the drought-affected areas, conduct meetings with the district administration and various departments and expedite relief works,” Pawar told NCP ministers at a meeting on Monday.
Pawar also stressed the need for strengthening the party organisations, especially in Vidarbha, Marathwada and parts of north Maharashtra by exploiting the present crisis. Of the 62 legislators elected in the 2009 elections, NCP has only nine members in Marathwada, four in Vidarbha and eight in North Maharashtra.
He also exhorted party ministers to actively involve in successfully organising a minority rally slated for February 3 in Aurangabad and a subsequent tribal rally to be held either in Thane or another tribal-dominated district.
Pawar’s message was quite loud and clear: NCP needs to further spread its wings by changing its image as a party dominated by the politically-influential Maratha community and having its stronghold in western Maharashtra which is known for its powerful cooperative network.
Pawar also told his ministers that he would again meet them either on January 15 or 19 to review their performance, especially in the drought-hit areas. “For the moment, a reshuffle in the NCP’s ministers is not on the cards. But I will take a decision only after the Congress takes its own decision in this regard,” the NCP chief said.
Pawar told Business Standard: “We discussed at length the current drought conditions in Maharashtra. Specific responsibilities have been fixed on our ministers so that the relief works are carried out effectively.”
