Page 11 - Seniors Today Dec 2019

Sonia Gandhi to ally with the Shiv Sena or face
complete annihilation at the end of five years in
Maharashtra.
No secrets
So how does Sharad Pawar really do it? There
is both his personal philosophy and political
motivation entwined in his second coming at
the age of 79. Much as he may have defied his
doctors on the campaign trail, Pawar is of the
firm belief that one must accept one’s illness,
seek the best medical help in time, follow the
doctor’s advice and, most importantly, not be in
a state of denial about your affliction or try to
hide it from the world. Younger men than him
like former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh,
who died in 2012 of liver cancer, and former
deputy chief minister RR Patil who passed
away in 2015 of tobacco-related oral cancer, kept
their illnesses hidden from others for a very
long time and shied away from acknowledging
them publicly. Pawar believes they would have
lived longer had they done otherwise. For being
open about it brings you inputs and advice from
others who may have gone through a similar
crisis. It also draws more medical information
- like the latest in technology or even experts
beyond your immediate vicinity - your way.
However, Pawar being his own man might not
realise that others might hide illnesses in the
fear that they might be considered unfit for their
jobs. But that is where Pawar’s political capital
with his grassroots supporters kicks in to his
advantage. He has only ever needed the goodwill
of his supporters and their votes to keep going.
His campaign in the pouring rain in Satara so
impressed even his critics that the combined
might of Modi, Shah and the 14th direct
descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,
Udayanraje Bhosale, former NCP MP who had
deserted the party for the BJP, were not enough
to secure the latter a victory at the by-election
to Satara. A similar response from across
Maharashtra resulted in astounding numbers
for both the Congress and the NCP, both of
which had not expected more than 20-odd seats
but got 44 and 54 respectively. That limited the
BJP to 105 seats out of 288 whereas they had
11
The iconic picture of Sharad Pawar, ignoring the pouring rain
during his campaign speech in Satara
been expecting to cross the halfway mark all on
their own.
Master of the game
The Shiv Sena’s resistance to the BJP’s
determination to reduce their party to playing
second fiddle brought Pawar an opportunity
to get back in the game, and he seized it
with both hands. The finesse, subtlety and
constitutionality with which he defeated his
nephew Ajit Pawar’s rebellion left the latter
with no choice but to return to the NCP after
allying with the BJP to become deputy chief
minister for 72 hours. It is very likely that
Pawar was behind Ajit’s rebellion, outwitting
the BJP very smoothly. For he knew Modi and
Shah would otherwise never revoke President’s
rule in Maharashtra to facilitate a Shiv Sena-
led government in the state. It is also likely
that there is a real power struggle in the Pawar
family and Ajit is chafing at the bit. Whatever
the facts of the case, Pawar is once again in the
driving seat in Maharashtra, even if Uddhav
Thackeray is the chief minister. Nothing is likely
to happen without his consent. He has got back
a government, his party and his family. He has
now also defied his doomsayers and emerged
master of the game.
Never write off Sharad Pawar. He almost
always defies the better judgment of all his
peers, friends, critics and enemies, and comes
up stronger than before. He is the master
puppeteer playing even his own fate on the
strings.
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