CEASEFIRE IN PAWAR LAND?

Sharad Pawar sets speculation swirling with hints of 'two views' in his party. One favours a reunion of the two NCPs. Daughter Supriya clearly says no

- Dhaval S. Kulkarni

THE LOCAL ROOKS AND BISHOPS say please, let’s do it. The grand old man says yes, okay, maybe. The grand nephew says yes, we must. The daughter says what, no, nothing like that. Seismographers wouldn’t know how to parse the signals emerging from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar)—it’s not quite a tectonic shift yet. But Sharad Pawar, 84, and a semi-retired supremo by his own description, is not one who speaks loosely. If he’s hinting at a possible entente with estranged nephew and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, top honcho of the rival NCP, it must mean something.

A SURPRISE, OR IS IT?

So, what did the craftiest man of Maratha politics say actually that has set speculation swirling? It was classic Pawar. The words were cryptic, and sat right on the fence, leaving enough scope to alight on either side. He told media personnel that his daughter Supriya Sule and her cousin Ajit had to decide if the two NCPs needed to reunite—and that he “won’t be surprised” if the idea came to fruition.