Coup, coup, coup, coup… story ke peeche kya hai?

Ajit Pawar has said he would stake claim to the chief minister`s post that has eluded him, even now. Pic/PTI

Last week was full of action. Ajit Pawar said he would remain in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for as long as he lives, and yet couldn't put an end to the speculations about his future. He himself fuelled speculations further while giving a prolonged interview at a public function in Pune that was attended by his close family, except for some important members, friends and supporters.

His response to various questions indicated that he hadn't been doing everything willingly in the successive governments, led by the Congress chief ministers in three terms, and later by the Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray. It was understood that many decisions were forced on him by party seniors. He had made a short-lived government with Devendra Fadnavis in 2019 that faded out because the MLAs were stopped in their tracks by his uncle and the party president Sharad Pawar. Ajit made no bones about harbouring ambition to be the chief minister, saying he would stake claim to the post that has eluded him, even now. Food for thought, indeed.

Also Read: Why 2024, I am even now prepared for CM's post: NCP's Ajit Pawar

Ajit being forced out?

History is being retold as far as the planning of the coups and their failure - the one in 2019 and supposedly the other attempted recently, are concerned. More stories are unfolding, layer after layer peeled off. Sceptics don't believe the 2019 coup failed because Ajit wanted to go back, and they wonder if yet another attempt was made to take it to its logical end. However, they do not deny the possibility that something of this sort is still being brewed for the future.

The stories floating around are about the much-discussed power struggle within the NCP; one between Ajit and others in the family, and the other one is between Ajit and a certain senior NCP leader. This time around, some senior NCP leaders, who had abandoned Ajit in 2019, stood in solidarity with him. A couple of them were in the audience when Ajit told the interviewer that he would stake claim to the CM's post even now. The interview was a kind of outpouring of things unsaid so far. Inhibitions were gone, the throat didn't choke like the past. People say in days to come, the leader won't think twice to reveal even more, because a situation is being created in the NCP to force the ex-Dy CM out and weaken his ground and prospects before he decides to go with other parties or set up his own party (the current CM has a textbook in this regard). Many believe that a lot will depend on the Supreme Court's forthcoming decision in the Shinde government versus the Uddhav Thackeray Sena case. The verdict should come after the Karnataka polls results next month, feel politicians.

What did he mean?

The BJP held its nerve in the second Ajit episode the Opposition has linked with the ruling party's strategy of poaching leaders from other parties. The Shinde Sena seemed worried as their spokespersons and MLAs, not as seasoned as others, ran frustrated sound notes and veiled threats of quitting the government.

Turmoil was definitely felt by the uninformed in the Shinde Sena as well as the NCP, which again showed a strong division, with Ajit loyalists on one side and the remaining on the other. It also created distance within the Maha Vikas Aghadi camp that is scouting for a glue to bond ahead of the elections. Ajit Pawar and Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut have taken their skirmishes to a level many notches above the scope for scaling it down immediately. The Congress is hurt because of Ajit's remark on Prithviraj Chavan, who had an eventful stint as the CM who succeeded in taming the then Dy CM and the NCP. Ajit confused the junta even more saying that joining hands with Uddhav Thackeray's unified Sena in 2019 was a departure from secularism. What did he mean? Will he not stay with Sena (UBT), shut the doors forever on the BJP and others?

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore
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