This Article is From Aug 27, 2009

Sugar prices: Political hot potato

Sugar prices: Political hot potato
New Delhi:

Has the sweet crop crucial to Sharad Pawar's rise finally turned bitter for the Congress-NCP alliance?

The man who controls some of the most powerful sugar lobbies in Western Maharashtra is busy trying to damage control India's sugar crisis. And that includes some criticism from his own allies.

"Why does not the agriculture minister bring in the huge stocks of sugar that he claims we have and bring down the prices," said Satyavrat Chaturvedi, Congress leader.

The Congress distanced itself from these remarks and asked leaders not to speak out of turn.

But many in the NCP sees a larger Congress plan in such attacks.

After the Lok Sabha polls where the Congress won 17 of the 25 it had contested, the Congress is keen on making inroads in Western Maharashtra, the state's sugar belt and Pawar stronghold.

Pawar is closely associated with the Malegaon sugar cooperative in Baramati and his nephew controls two others. Pawar also heads the Vasant Dada Sugar Reasearch Institute.

So, just ahead of Assembly elections questioning Pawar's sugar policy, NCP sources say, the Congress is trying to put political pressure on Pawar.

In fact, when reports came out that Sonia Gandhi had written a letter to Pawar asking him to check sugar prices, the NCP almost immediately denied its existence.

"I have just spoken to Sharad Pawar and there is no such letter, controlling price rise is the collective responsibility of the government," said D P Tripathi, General Secretary.

Sharad Pawar attended Thursday's Cabinet but preferred to stay away from the media. But his party, the NCP is not amused that such statements are being made against their leader.

One thing is clear: as Maharashtra heads for Assembly polls, the Congress and NCP are sure to engage in battle of one-upmanship.

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