UPA vulnerable after DMK pullout, asks NCP to prepare for polls: Sharad Pawar
Key UPA ally NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the Centre`s ruling coalition had become "vulnerable" after DMK`s pullout and that elections were round the corner.
|Last Updated: Apr 13, 2013, 09:44 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Thane: Key UPA ally NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said the Centre`s ruling coalition had become "vulnerable" after DMK`s pullout and that elections were round the corner.
Pawar, Union Agriculture Minister, also said since Congress was the majority party in the UPA, his party would respect its view on the alliance`s prime ministerial candidate.
"UPA`s position has become vulnerable after DMK`s pullout. We have to prepare and plan for elections. I have suggested to the UPA chairperson to convene a meeting to discuss this and she is also of the same view," Pawar told reporters.
Amid conflicting voices on who should be the UPA`s candidate for Prime Minister`s post, Pawar said the coalition`s spearhead Congress would have to take a call.
"Compared to the last time, UPA has shrunk. It is only the Congress, NCP and National Conference.....Majority party has to take the call. We will respect the majority party`s view," he said.
Pawar`s statement follows similar hints by Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had last month asked his partymen to gear up for a mid-term poll, citing a "confidential" report.
"I have come to know about a confidential report which says that elections will be held in November. You people start preparing for them," he had said addressing party workers in Lucknow.
The Samajwadi Party with 22 MPs and BSP with 21 are providing crucial outside support to the government and bailing it out in times of crises.
Pawar also said he will not contest Lok Sabha elections.
To a question on former BJP President Nitin Gadkari`s claim that a UPA leader approached him for help to topple the Central government, Pawar said, "NCP has only 9 MPs and Central government cannot be toppled with nine MPs pulling out."
Some media reports had pointed a finger at Pawar as the one whom Gadkari had referred to. The two leaders are said to enjoy a good rapport despite being ideologically on opposite sides of the political spectrum.
The Union Agriculture Minister rejected the charge that he was against the UPA`s ambitious food security bill. "I am of the view that the poor should benefit from food security act. If Planning commission says 34 per cent of the total population is below poverty line, how can there be 70 per cent beneficiaries. This is the only doubt I have raised," he said.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.