New Delhi: More than two decades after he played a part in the fall of Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led 13-day-old BJP government's fall in 1999, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) supremo Sharad Pawar made a startling revelation about how he ensured that 'one vote' in the opposition's favour.
Pawar made the revelation at the launch of a Marathi book 'Sansad Bhawan Te The Central Vista' written by Nileshkumar Kulkarni at Delhi's Maharashtra Sadan on Thursday. He spoke about the 1999 episode when he was the Leader of the Opposition during the Vajpayee government.
On April 17, 1999, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had to prove his government's majority in the Lok Sabha. But on that day, the Vajpayee government got 269 votes while 270 votes were cast against the ruling government. Due to this, the then Prime Minister Vajpayee had to resign as his government collapsed.
Pawar said, "I was the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament then. When we were in the opposition, a no-confidence motion was moved against him. This resolution was passed by one vote. Now, I am telling you how I got that vote. There was a break after a no-confidence motion was moved. During that time, I went out and talked to someone and came back. The government fell by one vote because one person in the ruling party decided otherwise."
Speaking about Kulkarni's book, he said the author tried to shed light on many aspects in the book. "I think some such incidents need to be added to the book. If those parts are to be added, I and Sanjay Raut can sit down once. We will try to present the real picture there without taking any side," he added.
After Sharad Pawar presented the Mahadji Shinde Award to Eknath Shinde, MP Sanjay Raut expressed his displeasure. Without mentioning the incident, Pawar said, "Sanjay Raut and I have not been in touch for the past 10 to 12 days. We usually meet every day. There was news that we were going to meet. Just because he expressed his views, there cannot be a disagreement immediately," he pointed out.
Pawar reminisced about the good old days he spent with Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, who used to address him as Sharad babu. "After everyone left, Balasaheb Thackeray would cordially interact with me and call me Sharad babu. On the phone, he would say, Sharad babu, should I come to meet you or are you coming?" Pawar said.
According to him, despite political differences, harmony never diminished. "The characteristic of some leaders of Maharashtra is such. Among them, the names of Yashwantrao Chavan and Balasaheb Thackeray are to be mentioned. There are several politicians like them in the state. The amity and bond are elements of our parliamentary history," he signed off.
