The NCP today urged the Congress to take Sharad Pawar’s criticism of the state of affairs in the Sonia Gandhi-led party positively, and said everyone should contribute to his efforts to unite the opposition parties in the country against the ruling BJP.
In Maharashtra, both the NCP and the Congress are members of the Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition.
Mr Pawar told a news portal last week that the Congress is like an impoverished landlord who can no longer care for his property.
He also stated that when it came to leadership, Congress leaders were “sensitive” and not open to suggestions.
This elicited a vehement response from Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole.
Today, Nawab Malik, a Maharashtra minister and NCP spokesperson, questioned why leaders were leaving the party (Congress) and winning state elections on their own.
“Pawar’s criticism emphasised this, and the Congress should take it positively. Everyone, including the Congress, should support Pawar’s efforts to bring the opposition parties together against the BJP “He stated.
Mr Pawar stated last week, “We agree that there was a time when the Congress had a presence from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. But that is not the case right now.”
“In Uttar Pradesh, a Zamindar (landlord) once owned vast tracts of land and a Haveli (mansion). Then he lost most of the land… the Haveli still stands, but he can’t repair it… he claims that all that land belonged to him, but that is in the past “According to the NCP’s leader.
However, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole later claimed that party leaders who were given power betrayed the party.
