This Article is From Jul 12, 2014

Leader of Opposition an 'Essential' Institution, Says Sharad Pawar

Leader of Opposition an 'Essential' Institution, Says Sharad Pawar

File photo: Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar

Mumbai: Amid the continuing suspense over the Leader of Opposition issue, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar today said the institution was "essential".

"It is essential that there be this institution," Mr Pawar, whose party is a key ally of the Congress, told reporters. Mr Pawar's statement came in the backdrop of the Congress deciding to write to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to seek an immediate decision in the matter.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi had insisted that being the single-largest party, it was entitled to the post.

"We are the single-largest party. We have got a pre-poll alliance. Hence, we are entitled to the Leader of Opposition's post," Gandhi had said on Monday, breaking her silence on the issue.

Party spokesman Anand Sharma had said the Congress would exercise all options to ensure a "democratically correct and logical conclusion" to the issue and did not rule out the possibility of approaching courts for redress.

About the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra, due in October, Mr Pawar said a decision on the number of seats to be contested by the Congress and the NCP would be taken at the national level.

Asked if the NCP contesting 50 per cent (144 of state's 288) seats would be a precondition when leaders of the two parties discuss seat-sharing, Mr Pawar said, "It can be more than 144 or less than 144. Winnability will be a factor in the talks."

When pointed out that senior NCP leaders like his nephew and deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and state party president Sunil Tatkare have insisted on the NCP contesting at least 144 seats given the party's better performance in the Lok Sabha elections than the Congress, Mr Pawar retorted, "Please remember that I am the party president."

Asked if the NCP will project any leader as a chief ministerial candidate ahead of polls, Mr Pawar said, "We will first see what the picture is from the other side. Then we will decide."

When his attention was drawn to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan pleading ignorance about the reported offer from Congress leadership that Mr Pawar lead the joint poll campaign in the state, the NCP chief said, "Chavan was not present at the meeting when the proposal was made."

Mr Pawar described as "table news" reports that the Congress leadership had conveyed to him that Mr Chavan's removal before the assembly polls could be considered if the NCP was ready to merge with it.

"The issue of merger was never raised. It seems there is a news manufacturing factory in media nowadays," he said.

He also described as "comic" a Marathi newspaper report today which said senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal was on the verge of quitting and rejoining the Shiv Sena.

To a query on Thursday's blast in Pune, Pawar said, "The state government should consider which forces have been emboldened in the recent times."

On Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil refusing to sanction the prosecution of Congress MLA Kripashankar Singh in a case of disproportionate assets, Mr Pawar said, "The Speaker is a law graduate. If he has taken a conscious decision, there must be a sound reason."

"The Speaker is an independent authority. He must have taken the decision after assessing all angles," Pawar said.

Noting that the rainfall recorded in the last one month is 42 per cent less than average, Mr Pawar said he has discussed monsoon related issues with the Centre and presented a detailed picture.
.