US EDITION
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Pawar says he is 'relieved'

Senior leader Sharad Pawar said he was ''most happy and relieved'' while reacting to his expulsion by the Congress Working Committee in Delhi.

Talking to reporters at Sharada Niketan, where he has hosted a dinner for the scientific community attending the two-day seminar on biotechnology, Pawar said there was nothing wrong in raising the issue of foreign origin of the prime ministerial candidate in the party's highest decision-making body.

However, today's decision of the CWC shows where the party is heading, Pawar said in his brief reaction.

Now the future of the Congress party lies in the hands of the people, Pawar said while claiming that he has the full support from people around the country on his stand. Nobody wants a foreign prime minister, he said.

Asked about his future plans, the Maharashtra strongman remarked, ''It is too early to say'' and added that he would discuss with colleagues and friends in the Congress party.

Any new strategy would be a collective decision, he said. Nothing can be said at this juncture about the formation of a new party or an alliance of like-minded parties, he added.

Leader of opposition in state legislative council, Chhagan Bhujbal has described as ''most unfortunate'', the expulsion from the Congress of Sharad Pawar, P A Sangma and Tariq Anwar by the Congress Working Committee for a period of six years

In a statement, Bhujbal said the history of the Congress is that of a struggle for freedom. The party has kept alive traditions of democracy. The question of allowing the posts of President, vice-president and prime minister to be occupied by a person of foreign origin should have been put to debate instead of indulging in ''hero worship'' while damaging self-respect.

"I welcome the action of Pawar who has stood beholden to 'Maharashtra Dharma', that of stoutly opposing sycophancy and helplessness for the love of the country and self-respect. I call on lakhs of Congressmen around the country to unite and support Pawar, Sangma and Anwar and begin a fresh struggle for rejuvenating the Congress."

Former chief minister A R Antulay welcomed the decision of the CWC and said, ''Indeed the Congress will be stronger by thus getting rid of the Trojan horses who have been trying to sabotage the Congress from within, more particularly the leadership of Sonia Gandhi''. Their questioning the credentials of the Congress president in regard to her nationality and patriotism is an inert act of indiscipline and it is self-evident, he said.

The Congress will now benefit from all secular forces which were hesitant to join it because of communal elements like Sharad Pawar. Describing the letter as ''deliberate and malicious'', Antulay congratulated the CWC and adding that ''I join millions of people in requesting Sonia Gandhi to withdraw her resignation and steer clear the Congress ship to complete victory in the coming polls and form the government''.

Republican Party of India leader Prakash Ambedkar and former Maharashtra chief minister Manohar Joshi, also known to be close to Pawar, refrained from making a comment saying, ''It was the internal matter of the Congress''.

Tell us what you think of this report