Sharad Pawar Turns MVA Crisis into a Win: How the Political Veteran Secured an Advantage for NCP

Sharad Pawar, the founder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is a master of Indian politics. Not long ago, Pawar was dealing with internal chaos in his party after a major split led by his nephew, Ajit Pawar. But just 18 months later, he's back on top, navigating yet another crisis within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

A Crisis Becomes an Opportunity

Recently, the MVA—made up of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Pawar's NCP—announced a temporary seat-sharing formula, with each party set to contest 85 seats. This move came after the rival alliance, Mahayuti, already announced candidates for over half of Maharashtra’s 288 seats. Congress and Shiv Sena had been arguing about how many seats each would get, both wanting a bigger share to improve their chances at chief ministership if they win.

Shiv Sena wants Uddhav Thackeray as their Chief Minister candidate, while Congress, feeling strong after winning 13 out of Maharashtra’s 48 seats in the Lok Sabha, wants one of their leaders to get the top job.

Meanwhile, Pawar didn’t publicly express interest in the CM position but focused on winning around 70-75 seats. His strategy in the seat-sharing talks has brought the NCP within reach of the chief ministerial post, showing off his skill at the negotiating table.

Pawar's Winning Moves

Pawar managed to secure a better position for his party by making some surprising trade-offs. For example, he let Shiv Sena (UBT) have the Patan seat in western Maharashtra—a seat his party hadn’t won in a decade—in exchange for seats in the Marathwada region. Plus, he’s planning to bring Independent MLA Kishor Jorgewar into the NCP, gaining an additional seat.

When Congress and Shiv Sena couldn’t agree, Pawar stepped in, helping them reach a compromise and showing his importance to the alliance. So far, the MVA has shared 255 seats among its members, with 18 more set aside for smaller parties, while Congress and Shiv Sena are still competing for about 15 seats, each aiming to secure a “century” (100 seats).

Leaders Weigh In

Sanjay Raut, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, hinted at hitting a “century,” or reaching 100 seats soon. "We’re already close, just a few more runs to go!” he said. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar is also confident about hitting the 100-mark, saying they are still figuring out the final exchanges to balance seats across the alliance.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the MVA performed well, winning 30 out of 48 seats. Congress led with 13 wins, Shiv Sena (UBT) took nine, and NCP had the best strike rate, winning eight out of ten seats they contested.

Pawar has shown that even in a crisis, he can turn things to his advantage, proving once again why he’s known as a “man for all seasons” in Indian politics.

Sources: Internet Sources & Twitter X 

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