ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Punish Pawar, he's anti-Congress: Tirpude

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sharad Pawar's criticism of the showcause notice to Congress MP Prafulla Patel was an act of indiscipline and a challenge to party president Sonia Gandhi's leadership, former Maharashtra deputy chief minister N K Tirpude feels.

Pawar's controversial statement had come all the way from London.

Talking to reporters in Nagpur, Tirpude, a senior party leader and known critic of Pawar, said the Congress leadership issued the showcause notice on the basis of a preliminary report from the three-member committee deputed by Sonia to inquire into the defeat of party nominee Ram Pradhan, a former Union home secretary, in the recent Rajya Sabha election from Maharashtra.

"Instead of presenting his views before the committee, Pawar chose to air his displeasure publicly. It was an act of defiance of the party high command, necessitating appropriate action," the leader remarked.

He demanded that the inquiry into Pradhan's debacle be taken to its logical end.

It was Pawar who started using money power for winning elections and securing defections -- he (Pawar) was known for putting rebel candidates in elections against the official nominees selected against his wishes, the leader alleged.

Interestingly, despite the momentum of his tirade, Tirpude pulled himself short of blaming Pawar for Pradhan's defeat -- the matter, he said, was 'under investigation' by the party.

Meanwhile, Congress Lok Sabha member and Pawar loyalist Datta Meghe lambasted those blaming his leader.

Speaking at a function organised by Vidarbha Vikas Parishad leader and former MP, S W Dhabe, he said it was known in party circles that the leader of Opposition worked hard for the success of party candidates.

" Pradhan's defeat was obviously due to miscalculations," he claimed.

Pawar, Meghe continued, enjoyed a good rapport with Pradhan, and there was no ground whatsoever to blame him for the defeat.

"The people of Maharashtra has recognised the leadership of Pawar by their verdict in the Lok Sabha elections," he said, "No amount of backbiting by his baiters will displace him from that position."

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report