Sharad Pawar designs plan to bring a viable alternative to rule out BJP

Nationalist Congress Party – NCP chief Sharad Pawar has come up with a plan to wash out the saffron party ahead of the 2019 general elections, by aligning with the United Progressive Alliance – UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister H D Deve.

According to Pawar, the trio has no interest or “no ambition to become Prime Minister”, and hence should unite, travel the country and provide confidence to the people of India.

The urge to prominently rule out BJP from the equation has led the NCP chief, for the first time, to open doors for NCP-BSP alliance in Maharashtra. Pawar further added that he is yet to discuss this issue with Bahujan Samaj Party – BSP chief Mayawati, but is positive as the merger will pay a premium.

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The former ICC president has already fashioned a detailed roadmap to counter the Opposition for 2019. While comparing the current political scenario to 1975-77; Pawar argued that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing the same chagrin that was against Indira Gandhi, and the ideal Opposition focus should remain on state-wide alliances instead of a national alliance.

According to Pawar, the BJP government and the reign of Modi is enjoying a “control of media, government and government agencies.” The mark of comparison between the Indira and Modi government was raising questions about the lack of an alternative platform, organisation, and leader to pose a genuine challenge.

Pawar in a statement to a leading daily said, “I honestly feel that there are some leaders, like Sonia Gandhi, (HD) Deve Gowda and, while I should not say it, myself also…we have no ambition to become Prime Minister. At least I am speaking for myself. But I have ambition to bring all these forces together and provide a viable alternative. For that, some of us – the names I have mentioned – can travel throughout India and give confidence to the people of India because today, there is no JP (Jayaprakash Narayan).”

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On one hand, where Pawar is affirmative that Rahul Gandhi has “substantially improved”, his suggestion to provide a "viable alternative", on the other hand, construed a loop of disarray. Emphasising the parallels between the current political climate and the situation in 1975-77, where both the ruling governments were enjoying a lack of alternative, Pawar urges the Congress to adopt a “rational approach” on state partnerships.