Is the Z+ security given to Sharad Pawar going to create a new equation in Maharashtra?

Maharashtra’s veteran leader Sharad Pawar has been given Z+ security by the central government. And this has been done after reviewing the threat assessment by the central agencies. According to the report, after reviewing the potential threats, the central agencies have recommended high level armed VIP security cover for 83-year-old Sharad Pawar, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra – and on the basis of that, the Union Home Ministry has asked the CRPF to provide Z plus security cover to Sharad Pawar.

It is believed that the tension that has emerged between the Maratha and OBC communities on the issue of reservation in Maharashtra could also be a special reason for increasing Sharad Pawar’s security. And that is why the central government has increased Sharad Pawar’s security in view of his election tours in the assembly elections.

Assembly elections are going to be held in Maharashtra soon, and doing this just before that especially points towards its political implications, even if there are simple and straightforward reasons behind it. It cannot be denied that this move of the central government will not have any political impact.

What will be Sharad Pawar’s role after the elections?

In politics, even that which is not felt at all on the surface has deep meaning. Many steps are taken on the basis of the estimation of long term consequences. Even if there is some immediate profit or loss, in many cases it is never necessary.

Five years ago in 2019, by forming the Maha Vikas Aghadi government separately from the BJP, Sharad Pawar had proved that he is the one who has the last word in Maharashtra politics – and the results of the Lok Sabha elections are also telling that despite losing everything, he is the real ring-master of Maharashtra politics.

From victory in Satara to maintaining dominance in Baramati, there are many examples. No matter how many attempts were made to weaken Sharad Pawar, they failed every time. As of today, he does not even have the real NCP, nor does he have the election symbol. Until the Supreme Court verdict comes, the election symbol is with the NCP held by Ajit Pawar. The Election Commission also does not consider the NCP owned by Sharad Pawar as the real one.

Just think, arrangements were made to oust Sharad Pawar even from Baramati. Now even Ajit Pawar is admitting that the decision to field his wife Sunetra Pawar against his sister Supriya Sule from Baramati was not correct – but did it make any difference to Sharad Pawar’s political health?

Anyway, for someone who has defeated a disease like cancer on the strength of his willpower, showing his power in the field of politics is like a child’s play – after all, Pawar’s power politics in Maharashtra is not discussed without reason.

This time too Sharad Pawar is playing the role of kingmaker in Mahavikas Aghadi in 2019. If the results of Maharashtra assembly elections are also like Lok Sabha, then Sharad Pawar will decide who to make king and who not.

Sharad Pawar has already made it clear that he has no desire for any post. Now only the post of Prime Minister is important for him. He has already been the Chief Minister and the Union Minister – now no matter who becomes the king, it is the responsibility of the government to make arrangements for his security.

If we look at the stance of the NCP leader till now, he is talking about change in Maharashtra. Meaning, he is trying to convince that there is going to be a change of power in Maharashtra after the elections. But all this is a matter of possibilities, just like ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’.

If we recall the period between the break-up of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance after the 2019 elections and the formation of the Mahavikas Aghadi government, there were many kinds of discussions. It was even heard that the BJP and NCP had started thinking about forming a government, but both sides did not agree to each other’s conditions, and the mission remained incomplete.

Devendra Fadnavis had also hinted at this. Devendra Fadnavis has claimed that when he became the Chief Minister for 72 hours, during which Ajit Pawar became the Deputy CM, all those incidents were in the knowledge of Sharad Pawar – and the way such claims were rejected by Sharad Pawar was also not satisfactory.

Meaning, the game of possibilities will continue before and after the elections – Sharad Pawar’s importance will remain the same, it remains to be seen who is able to take advantage of him, and whom he is able to use.

as if it were a political statement

Such steps towards the Sangh and BJP have often been taken with the intention of creating doubts. Such things have neither any direct impact nor any serious effect, but a message is conveyed. Discussions are definitely held. Speculations start being made. Even if not on a big or large scale, some light narrative does start – and this is enough.

In politics, it is also profitable to confuse the opposition for some time. If the opposition gets disturbed even a little, then consider the job done.

Sometimes Prime Minister Narendra Modi praises Shashi Tharoor for something, and a discussion begins. After Shashi Tharoor’s speech at the Oxford event, discussions had started. Shashi Tharoor’s closeness to BJP had even started being discussed. And later on too, many such occasions have been seen. Like Shashi Tharoor was also nominated for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Now just remember that emotional atmosphere in the Parliament. When Prime Minister Modi praised Ghulam Nabi Azad. Later, the award of Padma Bhushan to Ghulam Nabi Azad also became a topic of discussion for a long time.

And in the same sequence, we can also link the conferment of Bharat Ratna on former President Pranab Mukherjee and his invitation to the Nagpur program by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Nothing was going to happen, nor did anything happen anywhere – but there was a lot of discussion. And forget about the rest, even his daughter Sharmishtha Mukherjee had given advice to her father, expressing her displeasure was a different matter altogether – but what happened, the effect was zero divided by silence.

A similar incident happened just before the Lok Sabha elections. Bhim Army leader Chandrashekhar Azad was also given security. Of course, he has now reached Parliament, but has any change been felt in his political stand publicly?

One aspect of the Z Plus security given to Sharad Pawar is exactly like a political statement. Like political statements have implications. Like political statements have effects.