Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly announcing his bonhomie with NCP leader Sharad Pawar has triggered speculation of new political orientations. Modi’s public announcement of the “bond” he shared with the NCP patriarch came as a surprise to many. Modi labelled Pawar as a leader who constantly strived to do something for the farmers.
The bonhomie, after a bitter war of words during the elections in Maharashtra, comes at a time when relations between Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and ally Shiv Sena have hit another low. In the last couple of days, the Shiv Sena has been targeting Modi and the BJP for the Delhi poll debacle and the Baramati rally coincided with the day Arvind Kejriwal was sworn in as Delhi Chief Minister.
Pawar, returning the praise, lauded Modi’s Gujarat model of development. “I experienced first-hand how you changed the fate of farmers in water-starved Kutch (Gujarat) with agriculture and water reforms,” Pawar said.
“I want to remind Modiji that four years ago, he called me to Anand (Gujarat) when I was Union agriculture minister, to share innovations undertaken by local farmers in dairy and animal husbandry. I am happy that today he agreed to let me show innovations that farmers here (in Baramati) have implemented.”
Pawar gifted Modi with books that celebrate the development of Baramati.
Pawar Saturday offered all cooperation for development. He said: “My associates (in the NCP) are willing to support and cooperate with you for all development work.”
Modi quipped in Marathi: “Baramatichya shetkari madhe mati ani gati ahe. Jithe mati ani gati aste, tithech pragati hote. (There is intellect and foresight among farmers in Baramati. Progress comes only when the two coexist).”
This was a far cry from the exchange ahead of the assembly polls when Modi had urged voters in Baramati to end “chacha-bhatija” misrule and called NCP “Naturally Corrupt Party”. Pawar had recently lashed out at Modi for “undermining” the PM’s chair and targeted him over the ‘ghar wapsi’ campaign.
Political analysts said Saturday’s rally could send a signal to the rank and file of both parties that they weren’t hostile to each other and it would serve to caution Shiv Sena, which had upped the ante against BJP.
At a lunch Pawar hosted for the PM, prominent business magnates including Cyrus Poonawala, B G Shirke, Bhavarlal Jain, Ajit Gulabchand and Baba Kalyani were invited. Specially prepared Maharashtrian delicacies were on the menu.
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