After weeks of trying to browbeat Congress, NCP chief Sharad Pawar stuck to the conciliatory note he had struck on Sunday, saying that
Left and Congress would be able to sink their differences in a post-poll scenario to thwart BJP from forming a government.
Speaking to a TV channel, Pawar kept away from the leadership issue though he did express his "gratitude" to AIADMK and BJD for considering him a prime ministerial candidate. He also did not move away from his view that the issue should be settled by consultation within UPA, but did not make his candidacy a sticking point.
He sought to position himself as a bridge between Congress and Left, saying that the heat of election resulted in posturing on both sides. "After the elections, when people assess the situation and realise the ground reality, they will show pragmatism," he said, adding he was confident Left will also take a fresh look at tying up with Congress.
"I am confident that Prakash Karat... I can understand his unhappiness towards Congress or me or towards anyone else, but after the elections I am absolutely clear about one thing -- the Left will not act in a fashion that there will be a BJP-led government," Pawar said. His suggestion that Left too can find itself under pressure is a shift from his alignment with efforts to question Congress's leadership claims.
Pawar is quite capable to moving back to a tougher anti-Congress line as the leader said that the bargaining power of parties will lie in the numbers they manage to win. His effort to shore up UPA could be rooted in the concern that an image of "disunity" has hurt the NCP-Congress alliance in the second round of polling on April 23 in 25 Maharashtra seats. Any post-poll gameplan could be jeopardised if NCP fails to put up a decent show in the first place.
He did not see the prime ministerial issue being particularly problematic, saying UPA leaders could resolve it in one sitting. On his own claims, he took a more pragmatic line, saying, "I have made my position clear a number of times. I am hardly contesting 42 seats. In this type of situation, the most important thing is numbers. I have not got this number... Unless you get substantive support from all major parties one should not expect this."
Pawar's remarks may also demonstrate that he is preparing for various possibilities after the elections. While not withdrawing his claim, he is looking at the possibility of Congress defeating the efforts of some of its allies and former partners to peg it back and still emerging with numbers to lead the next government. At the same time, he has not given up on trying to emerge as the senior partner in Maharashtra and enhance his bargaining position ahead of assembly elections due later this year.
Left and Congress would be able to sink their differences in a post-poll scenario to thwart BJP from forming a government.
Speaking to a TV channel, Pawar kept away from the leadership issue though he did express his "gratitude" to AIADMK and BJD for considering him a prime ministerial candidate. He also did not move away from his view that the issue should be settled by consultation within UPA, but did not make his candidacy a sticking point.
He sought to position himself as a bridge between Congress and Left, saying that the heat of election resulted in posturing on both sides. "After the elections, when people assess the situation and realise the ground reality, they will show pragmatism," he said, adding he was confident Left will also take a fresh look at tying up with Congress.
"I am confident that Prakash Karat... I can understand his unhappiness towards Congress or me or towards anyone else, but after the elections I am absolutely clear about one thing -- the Left will not act in a fashion that there will be a BJP-led government," Pawar said. His suggestion that Left too can find itself under pressure is a shift from his alignment with efforts to question Congress's leadership claims.
Pawar is quite capable to moving back to a tougher anti-Congress line as the leader said that the bargaining power of parties will lie in the numbers they manage to win. His effort to shore up UPA could be rooted in the concern that an image of "disunity" has hurt the NCP-Congress alliance in the second round of polling on April 23 in 25 Maharashtra seats. Any post-poll gameplan could be jeopardised if NCP fails to put up a decent show in the first place.
He did not see the prime ministerial issue being particularly problematic, saying UPA leaders could resolve it in one sitting. On his own claims, he took a more pragmatic line, saying, "I have made my position clear a number of times. I am hardly contesting 42 seats. In this type of situation, the most important thing is numbers. I have not got this number... Unless you get substantive support from all major parties one should not expect this."
Pawar's remarks may also demonstrate that he is preparing for various possibilities after the elections. While not withdrawing his claim, he is looking at the possibility of Congress defeating the efforts of some of its allies and former partners to peg it back and still emerging with numbers to lead the next government. At the same time, he has not given up on trying to emerge as the senior partner in Maharashtra and enhance his bargaining position ahead of assembly elections due later this year.
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