New Delhi:
Sharad Pawar versus the Congress appears headed for a happy ending - sources in the Congress said the issue has been resolved and that a new coordination mechanism is likely to be set up.
Mr Pawar and his deputy, Praful Patel met today with Sonia Gandhi and the PM at Dr Manmohan Singh's residence. The Prime Minister told NDTV this morning, "We are ready to speak to the NCP (Mr Pawar's party) on any issue that concerns them...in coalition politics, there is give and take." He also said that the creation of a coordination committee, as requested by Mr Pawar's party, is being discussed to ensure that the Congress and its allies in the ruling coalition are in synch. Mr Pawar's party appeared equally understanding. "We have not issued any ultimatum to the Congress....all issues can be resolved through dialogue," said Mr Patel, who is Heavy Industries minister, to NDTV this morning.
Like Mr Pawar, he skipped the last cabinet meeting on Thursday; neither minister has been seen at work since Friday. Mr Patel said earlier this week that his party would not attend any government function till its relationship status with the Congress was finalised. A meeting of his party's leaders, scheduled for today in Delhi, is expected to decide whether it should pull out of the government at the centre and provide external support. But the conciliatory tones today suggest that's unlikely to happen. Sonia Gandhi, who heads the Congress, told reporters today at the swearing-in ceremony of Pranab Mukherjee as president, that she would not answer questions about Mr Pawar. Sources say the Congress has decided to play hardball in the negotiations with Mr Pawar, and his party is now looking for a face-saving exit from the crisis it provoked.
Last week, the minister sent a note to the PM and her sharing a catalogue of grievances and his party talked tough. Mr Patel publicly accused the Congress of misreporting the facts of the dispute. He said it was incorrectly being stated that Mr Pawar was upset because he was not seated next to the PM at recent cabinet meets - that position, reserved for the second-most senior cabinet member, used to be occupied by Pranab Mukherjee and was taken by Defence Minister AK Antony after Mr Mukherjee quit the government to run successfully for President of India. "A leader of his stature does not bother about No 1 or No 2," Mr Patel said. Leaders from his party, the NCP, said the Congress had taken its partnership for granted, and had repeatedly left allies out of important decisions.
But sources in both parties said the bigger problem was Maharashtra, where the Congress and NCP have co-governed the state for three terms. A growing resentment within the NCP against Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was attributed to his initiative to tackle and investigate charges of corruption, some of which were linked to senior leaders from Mr Pawar's party. Mr Chavan has a reputation as an honest administrator. At a time when he was being attacked by the NCP for under-achievement, his own party chipped in. More than half of the Congress' MLAs in Maharashtra signed a letter that targeted the chief minister without naming him. They said there was anger among their constituencies about projects that had not been sanctioned. At the state and centre, the Congress has reportedly offered to set up a coordination committee to iron out the kinks with its partner.
The next cabinet meeting in Delhi is scheduled for tomorrow. Mr Pawar has reportedly indicated that before then, he will share his decision on whether he will quit the government
Mr Pawar and his deputy, Praful Patel met today with Sonia Gandhi and the PM at Dr Manmohan Singh's residence. The Prime Minister told NDTV this morning, "We are ready to speak to the NCP (Mr Pawar's party) on any issue that concerns them...in coalition politics, there is give and take." He also said that the creation of a coordination committee, as requested by Mr Pawar's party, is being discussed to ensure that the Congress and its allies in the ruling coalition are in synch. Mr Pawar's party appeared equally understanding. "We have not issued any ultimatum to the Congress....all issues can be resolved through dialogue," said Mr Patel, who is Heavy Industries minister, to NDTV this morning.
Like Mr Pawar, he skipped the last cabinet meeting on Thursday; neither minister has been seen at work since Friday. Mr Patel said earlier this week that his party would not attend any government function till its relationship status with the Congress was finalised. A meeting of his party's leaders, scheduled for today in Delhi, is expected to decide whether it should pull out of the government at the centre and provide external support. But the conciliatory tones today suggest that's unlikely to happen. Sonia Gandhi, who heads the Congress, told reporters today at the swearing-in ceremony of Pranab Mukherjee as president, that she would not answer questions about Mr Pawar. Sources say the Congress has decided to play hardball in the negotiations with Mr Pawar, and his party is now looking for a face-saving exit from the crisis it provoked.
Last week, the minister sent a note to the PM and her sharing a catalogue of grievances and his party talked tough. Mr Patel publicly accused the Congress of misreporting the facts of the dispute. He said it was incorrectly being stated that Mr Pawar was upset because he was not seated next to the PM at recent cabinet meets - that position, reserved for the second-most senior cabinet member, used to be occupied by Pranab Mukherjee and was taken by Defence Minister AK Antony after Mr Mukherjee quit the government to run successfully for President of India. "A leader of his stature does not bother about No 1 or No 2," Mr Patel said. Leaders from his party, the NCP, said the Congress had taken its partnership for granted, and had repeatedly left allies out of important decisions.
But sources in both parties said the bigger problem was Maharashtra, where the Congress and NCP have co-governed the state for three terms. A growing resentment within the NCP against Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was attributed to his initiative to tackle and investigate charges of corruption, some of which were linked to senior leaders from Mr Pawar's party. Mr Chavan has a reputation as an honest administrator. At a time when he was being attacked by the NCP for under-achievement, his own party chipped in. More than half of the Congress' MLAs in Maharashtra signed a letter that targeted the chief minister without naming him. They said there was anger among their constituencies about projects that had not been sanctioned. At the state and centre, the Congress has reportedly offered to set up a coordination committee to iron out the kinks with its partner.
The next cabinet meeting in Delhi is scheduled for tomorrow. Mr Pawar has reportedly indicated that before then, he will share his decision on whether he will quit the government
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