Sharad Pawar, Nationalism and the split in Congress Party

 

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was established on 10^th June 1999 after separating from the Indian National Congress party. But the process of formation of NCP began much before its actual foundation. In this article we are going to see the developments which led to the formation of  Nationalist Congress Party.

Split in Congress party and the elections of 1978

The period after the Emergency was very challenging for the Congress party. For the first time after the independence a Non-Congress government was formed in the country. The congress party had split into two groups. Those who are with Indira Gandhi called themselves Congress(I) and those who are against called as Congress(U).

In Maharashtra also the congress leaders got divided in two groups. The two big leaders of congress in Maharashtra Sharad Pawar and Vasantdada Patil went to Congress(U). As there was no any strong opposition party in Maharashtra at time all the others parties also extended  their support to Congress(I) and Congress(U).

Republican Party(Gawai) extended their support  to Congress (U) and Congress(I) formed a pre-poll coalition with Shivsena. The main opposition party “Janta Party” also formed a coalition with various small regional parties.

The election result shocked everyone as the Janta Party emerged as a largest party in the state getting 99 seats. Congress(I) and Congress(U) got 62 and 69 seats respectively.

But both congress parties came together and formed the first coalition government in Maharashtra with Vasantdada Patil as a chief Minister. But some leaders in this Government were not happy with this kind coalition. Sharad Pawar went out of the government along with 44 other MLAs. 

Hence CM Vasantdada Patil had to resign and name of Sharad Pawar had been inscribed in the political history of Maharashtra. But is has been said that Vasantrao had an idea about Pawar’s rebellion. Sharad Pawar had started visiting Gorge Fernandez and Chandrasekhar. Hence it has been clear to Vasantdada that Sharad Pawar is doing something which will shake the politics of Maharashtra.

The rise of Congress (Socialist)

After the collapse of Vasantdada Patil government in 1978 Sharad Pawar formed the first non-congress government in Maharashtra with the help Janta party and other small regional parties.

Sharad Pawar became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the first time on 18^th July 1978. The coalition of congress and other parties was called as “Progressive Democratic Front”(Purogami Lokshahi Aghadi).

Progressive Democratic Front and the General Elections of 1980

The General Elections of 1980 was very important in the political history of India. People were dissatisfied with Morarji led Janta Party Government in the Central and on the other hand Indira Gandhi was promising a stable and strong Government if they are elected back.

Indira received huge support from all over the India. In Maharashtra she was able to fetch 39 seats. Sharad Pawar’s congress got only one seat. After coming to power Indira Gandhi dissolved the Progressive Democratic Front Government in Maharashtra on 18^th February 1980 and state had to face another Vidhansabha Election.

In the State elections on 1980 Congress party got 186 seats and A.R. Antulay became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. And Congress Party (Socialist) became the main opposition party in the state.

It was clear from the Vidhansabha Elections of 1980 and 1985 that it was impossible for the Congress(Socialist) to form a Government in Maharashtra. After the death of PM Indira Gandhi her son Rajiv had assumed the charge of party leadership. Rajiv Gandhi focused on the technologically driven development in India.

Sharad Power who was away from power since 6 years saw some hope in Rajiv Gandhi and decided to merged his party with the Congress(I). Hence Sharad Pawar’s journey in congress starts in 1986.

1990 Assembly elections and the rise of Sharad Pawar

Newly formed Bhartiya Janta Party and Shivsena had joined hands and formed a coalition. Because of this the congress seats in state got reduced but they were able to emerged as a single largest party. Actually this win for congress  came when there was a Janta Party government in the centre and there also increasing popularity of “Hindutva” parties due to “Ramjannmbhumi” movement.

Congress was able to form government in the state with the help rebel MLAs from the party.

In the 1995 Assembly election congress was able to get only 80 seats as compared to 141 seats in 1990. It is said that Congress lost 1995 election due to the internal rebellion by some congress leaders. And somehow Sharad Pawar was also held responsible for this defeat.

Shivsena-BJP government

Actually Shivsena-BJP coalition didn’t get the majority in 1995 elections but they were successful in getting support from the rebel Congress MLAs. Manohar Joshi became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 14^th March 1995.

Sharad Pawar and the General Elections of India

It is very important to see Sharad Pawar’s role in various General Elections since 1989.

For the upcoming Assembly and General election in 1989 and 1990 PM Rajiv Gandhi wanted to install a popular leader in the state. Therefore he gave responsibility of CM to Sharad Pawar. As a CM Sharad Pawar focused more of Industrialization and technologically driven growth.

Congress under the leadership of Shri Sharad Pawar was able to fetch 28 seats and got about 45.05% vote share.

The 1991 General election was fought on the issues of Mandal commission and the Ram temple-Babri Masjid issue. Congress was able to challenge this new developments in the Indian politics due to popular leadership of Rajiv Gandhi.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated during the election campaign and congress got benefited from the sympathy wave. It got 38 out 48 seats in state. This was for the first time that Sharad Pawar’s name was being discussed for the post of Prime Minister. But Sharad Pawar had given the role of Defence Minister in the Cabinet of PV Narasimha Rao.

The decade of 1990s was very challenging for the congress party. There was no strong leadership at the central level to counter the growing communal politics by BJP and Shivsena. Congress got only 15 seats in 1996 General election.

In 1998 General elections Congress was able to come back and got 37 seats. This was due to the social Engineering of Sharad Pawar. He brought together various regional parties like Republican Party, Samajvadi Party, United Communist  party etc.

Republican party had given seats of Akola ,Chimur, Amravati and Central Mumbai. Hence Prakash Ambedkar and Jogendra Kawade were the MPs from these seats.

Foundation of Nationalist Congress Party

Till 1999 Sonia Gandhi got active in Congress. Sharad Pawar didn’t want any person of foreign nationality to become the Prime Minister of India. He along with P.A.Sangama expressed their thoughts about this in the Congress Working Committee.

Hence Sharad Pawar along with P.A.Sangama and Tariq Anwar founded “Nationalist Congress Party” on 10^th June 1999. It is said that it is because of Sharad Pawar’s own ambitions to become PM that he left Congress. But since its formation in 1999 NCP has not shown any notable performance at the National Level.