Can Sharad Pawar do without the Congress? The explanation for the contretemps with the Congress, the major ally in the Centre, and a presumed equal in Maharashtra would necessarily have to take that question seriously. Sharad Pawar has had a long innings with the Congress party, has moved in and out at least thrice and now sups with it - at least till he stopped attending the Cabinet in Delhi -despiteserious issues like his penchant for seeking power at all costs and ideological issues like Mrs Sonia Gandhi's Italian origins. The first worked for him several times; if being sworn-in as chief minister of Maharashtra frequently is a benchmark. His appetite for power isundiminishedwhich is why he is planning to pay more attention to his party which has not been able to best the Congress to the top job in his home state. [caption id=attachment_386327 align=alignleft width=380