Pawar skips BJD-Left-NCP rally

BHUBANESWAR: After fuelling intense speculation over his future plans, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Friday skipped a BJD-Left rally in Bhubaneswar he was due to attend, a day after senior UPA partner Congress voiced reservations over him sharing a platform with Third Front leaders.

Pawar told the rally through a cellphone held by NCP state president and cine star Prasanta Nanda near the microphone that a "technical" snag in his aircraft at Nashik in Maharashtra prevented him from attending the meet which had generated a lot of hype following his planned participation.

Pawar told reporters he was not part of Third Front or Left Front but his NCP had an alliance with the Naveen Patnaik-led ruling BJD which had organised today's rally. CPI-M chief Prakash Karat was among the participants.

"There is no front. I am not part of the Third Front in Orissa. I have an alliance with Naveen Patnaik's party, the BJD," he said apparently playing it safe after questions were raised about NCP's future ties with Congress.

Asked if he refused to attend after Congress president Sonia Gandhi reportedly expressed her displeasure over his participation, the Union Agriculture Minister said, "Nobody disrespected Congress Party. Congress Party is fully aware."

"We are with the UPA," Pawar said, as the Congress expressed confidence that Pawar will not do anything that will jeopardise NCP's ties with the party.

Yesterday, Senior Congress leader and Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said "it would be good if Pawar did not share a platform with parties of Third Front."

The Left was quick to downplay Pawar's absence as sending any political signals with CPI veteran A B Bardhan saying it should not be "politicised" and noted that Pawar will visit Bhubaneswar either on April 7 or 8.