NEW DELHI: The Defence Minister Sharad Pawar indicated here on March4 that he was going back to Maharashtra in the larger interests of the country ‘economic reforms program, even as his supporters made a powerful last-ditch attempt to get the decision reversed.
A delegation of Pawar supporters led by Suresh Kalmadi submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, P.V.Narasimha Rao, on Thursday evening urging him to reconsider his decision as Pawar’s presence in the Center was badly needed to counter the “forces of destablisation and anarchy.”
The Prime Minister, however, rejected the demand and said the decision to send the Defence Minister to Maharashtra was not intended to cut him to size.
“There is no question of Pawar not going to the new assignment. My intention is not to cut him to size. On the other hand, his stature would go up,” Rao told the delegation of Pawar supporters.
At least 70 MPs had signed the memorandum, according to Suresh Kalmandi, the Defence Minister’s close supporter. Pointing out that many of these MPs were from outside Maharashtra, Kalmandi claimed that by evening the figure would touch 100.
Among those reported to have signed the memorandum are Buta Singh, Ajit Jogi, Jagmeet Singh Brar, Mrs.Saroj Khaparde, P.K.Bansal, B.Kalita, Raju Parmar, Zantye, Gufran Azam, Ashok Gehlot, Shiv Charan Mathur, Shantaram Potdhuke, B.K.Hariprasad and P.Kore, The Maharashtra Congress (I) legislature party meeting has been convened in Bombay on Friday morning where Pawar would be formally elected the leader.
On this arrival at Bombay from Delhi on Thursday night, Sharad Pawar announced that he would be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on March 6.
“The issue of ministry formation would be discussed with the MPCC I president, Shivajirao Deshmukh and CLP,” he added.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 12, 1993
