Analysis | NCP split is a reminder of the succession battles witnessed by regional parties

The NCP’s split is, in fact, symptomatic of the contradictions that political parties, founded by satraps, face at the time of choosing its successors

In December 2015, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, then the party chief, speaking at an event to mark Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar’s 75th birthday celebrations at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan, recalled the talented leg-spinner Sadashiv Ganpatrao ‘Sadu’ Shinde, who also played for India in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

“Perhaps not many know that his father-in-law, who tragically died at a very young age, was a leg spinner and played 7 tests for India. Perhaps, this could have been one influence on him…,” Ms. Gandhi said as the audience burst into a laughter.

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She then went on to point out that in the language of information technology (IT) Mr. Pawar’s social networking skills were formidable. The event itself was its evidence as the entire Indian political league shared the stage, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Sharad Pawar has the quality of a farmer who can sense weather conditions much in advance. And he has used this skill very well in politics,”said Mr. Modi, referring to the political moves of the NCP stalwart that kept both his adversaries and allies guessing.

Yet, none of these skills could prevent the vertical split of his party by his nephew, Ajit Pawar, and some of his most trusted aides like Praful Patel, Chagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil among others.

The NCP’s split is, in fact, symptomatic of the contradictions that political parties, founded by satraps, face at the time of choosing its successors.