Congress indispensable; not interested in becoming UPA chairperson or leading anti-BJP front: Sharad Pawar

Pune Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on April 3 said he won’t lead an anti

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on April 3 said he won’t lead an anti-BJP front and is also not keen to become the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur in western Maharashtra, Mr. Pawar also said that the Congress cannot be excluded from any initiative aimed at providing an alternative to the BJP at the Centre.

“I am not going to take up any responsibility to lead any front comprising various parties against the BJP,” he said.

In the same breath, Mr. Pawar also said that he won’t lead the UPA, currently helmed by the Congress.

“Recently, some youth workers of our party [NCP] passed a resolution asking me to become the chairperson of the UPA. But I am not at all interested in that position. I am not going to get into that. I will not take up that responsibility,” the former Union Minister said when asked about his stand if he is asked to lead the anti-BJP bloc.

If an attempt is made to provide an alternative [to the BJP], I am ready to co-operate, support and strengthen such bloc,”” Mr. Pawar said, adding “we have been doing it”.

“When it is said that the Opposition should come together then some facts need not be neglected. Mamata Banerjee’s TMC is the strongest party in West Bengal and they enjoy people’s support. At the same time, regional parties are also strong in their respective states,” Mr. Pawar said.