Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar might have appointed Praful Patel as working president along with his (Pawar's) daughter Supriya Sule to blunt probable allegations of dynastic politics, the Shiv Sena (UBT) said.
The editorial published in the party mouthpiece Saamana also termed the elevation of Sule, a Lok Sabha member, and Patel as working presidents of the Nationalist Congress Party a balancing act by Pawar between senior and new leaders.
Along with his daughter's elevation as working president, Pawar has given the same title to Praful Patel. He did it to maintain a balance among the old and new guards in NCP, Saamana said. The editorial also pointed out that the NCP has already lost its national party status. Although Sharad Pawar had said that the appointment of two working presidents is because of the vastness of the country, no other regional parties have made such appointments. It may be true, the Sena said.
Referring to Pawar's announcement to resign as NCP chief last month and subsequent withdrawal of the decision, Saamana said it was clear that Sule would have got the reins of the party. But what message Pawar is trying to give by appointing Praful Patel as another working president? Patel might have been elevated to avoid allegations of dynastic politics in NCP with Sule's appointment to the position, Saamana said. The editorial said there was no mention of any new responsibility to Ajit Pawar in the latest decisions taken at the NCP meeting in New Delhi.