While Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s men continue to brag about their leader’s prime ministerial credentials, their party is facing turbulent times in its stronghold of western Maharashtra. Intra-party rebellion, strained relations with Congress and triangular contests in this sugar-rich belt have put the NCP in a difficult position in atleast four out of eight constituencies that the party is contesting in this region.
The region is going to the polls on April 23.
NCP’s partner, Congress, is also facing difficulties in curbing rebellion, which would obviously help the saffron alliance of Shiv Sena-BJP. Out of the 12 seats in Pune, Ahmednagar, Satara, Solapur, Sangli and Kolhapur districts, eight have gone to the NCP and four are being represented by Congress and Republican Party of India (RPI). The NCP had managed to win all the six seats it contested during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections and has now additional two seats in its strong-hold.
Most of the co-operative sugar mills in this region are run by top NCP-Congress leaders resulting into their dominance in politics. Despite lower sugar production this year against last year, the farmers have enjoyed an excellent price of more than Rs 1,100 a tonne for cane, making things sweeter for the NCP. But weaker candidates in some constituencies, intra-party rebellion and triangular contest might prove costly for the NCP this time.
While Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule contesting from Madha and Baramati constituencies have an easy task along with Satara candidate Udayan Bhosale. The remaining 5 seats fall in the “red” zone for the NCP. The party had fielded a weak leader in Vilas Lande from Shirur constituency (Pune district) who has to compete with Shiv Sena MP Shivaji Adhalrao Patil in an NCP dominated region.
However, experts believe Adhalrao Patil’s personality and the development projects he has carried out over last five years, would help him overcome Lande. The newly carved constituency of Maval also sees a weaker NCP candidature in Azam Pansare pitted against two time Shiv Sena MLA Gajanan Babar from this region.
