Shinde overcomes NCP hurdle

Till Wednesday midnight, the NCP was divided over backing Sushilkumar Shinde as chief minister, thanks to opposition from Public Works Minis...

Till Wednesday midnight, the NCP was divided over backing Sushilkumar Shinde as chief minister, thanks to opposition from Public Works Minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil. He did not want another power centre in his district (both of them hail from Solapur) and wanted the party to stall Shinde’s march to the Mantralaya. He had the support of Irrigation Minister Padamsinh Patil.

However, the move did not work out as the Congress observers told the NCP in no uncertain terms that Shinde was Sonia’s choice. The drama reached a grand finale today morning with Shinde meeting Mohite-Patil at his residence for a truce.

A Dalit with ambition
Sushilkumar Shinde (66) is the state’s first Dalit Chief Minister and a man of astonishingly varied life experiences. His first job was as a peon. Then he became a sub-inspector in the Mumbai police, then a lawyer — before finally ending up a politician under Sharad Pawar. But his humble origins made his ambition only fiercer.

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For two decades now, Shinde has wanted to be Maharashtra’s chief minister. Suave and down to earth, Shinde has been a minister in various governments between 1974 and 1992. He was a vice-presidential candidate last year. Shinde’s experience will be helpful in attacking Maharastra’s most critical problem: bankruptcy. Apart from holding almost every portfolio in the Cabinet, he presented the state budget for nine successive years. As a Finance as well as Urban Development Minister, Shinde’s performance is regarded as outstanding.

But like most Congressman, Shinde too has the blood of a rebel. As a Cabinet minister, he revolted against Pawar in 1991. Indeed, the plot to oust Pawar was drafted at Shinde’s official residence in the presence of veteran Congress leader Ramrao Adik and Vilasrao Deshmukh. But Pawar foiled the plot. When Pawar left the Congress in 1978 to set up the Progressive Democratic Front, Shinde too had quit the organisation. His rapport with Pawar is likely to stand him in good stead in the days to come.

Earlier, a section of senior NCP ministers led by Solapur strongman Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil made a last-ditch effort on Wednesday night by demanding that the party should ask Congress for an option.

Another section led by Bhujbal was opposed to any such move.

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Finally, party spokesman Praful Patel met the Congress observers and asked them if they could suggest an alternative. The latter refused and pointed out that Sonia herself wanted Shinde as CM.

This morning, the Congress trio called on Bhujbal at his official residence. Over breakfast, they successfully convinced the NCP leaders. ‘‘You all are former Congressmen. You know how CMs are chosen in our party,’’ quipped one of the observers.

As a face-saver for Mohite-Patil, Shinde called on him at the former’s official residence, Parnakooti, and said ‘‘I will be the Chief Minister but the district will remain in your hands.’’

A senior NCP MLA from the Mohite-Patil camp met Bhujbal and Patel and suggested that the Solapur strongman should be given an additional portfolio. He was told that the demand would be considered.