It's last non-dynastic leader: Why RR Patil's demise will hit NCP in Maharashtra

Mumbai: The demise of former Maharashtra home minister RR Patil, known for his simplicity and clean image, is a big blow to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, which is trying to rebuild the party following its rout in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Patil, the son of a farm labourer, belonged to the powerful Maratha community and emerged from the grassroots to the top level in the party and government as well and that had made him popular among the party rank and file across the state. While Maharashtra politics is dominated by few families of powerful Maratha community, a large section of economically backward in Maratha community saw hope in Patil’s rise due to his humble background and rallied behind him and the NCP. Despite being in a party that controls the co-operative sector and has its base in western Maharashtra, Patil had no such background. He never established any cooperative society or firm in his life. Still, he rose in a party of leaders from established political dynasties, sugarcane and education barons due to his clean image and simplicity. [caption id=“attachment_2103931” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AFP Image[/caption]Patil was groomed by Pawar and had very strong organizational skills and result-oriented strategies that helped the party well in western Maharashtra. He was also known for his oratory skills and had played an effective role on the opposition benches when the Sena-BJP government was in power earlier. NCP leaders and grassroot workers would frequently seek his presence at election rallies and public meetings on various issues. With Patil’s death, NCP has lost not only a mass leader but its face in rural parts who had a clean image. Political observers say that it would be difficult for the NCP to find a suitable replacement for Patil. “The NCP has lost the genuine face having strong grassroots connect. He was seen as an honest and sincere politician in the rural parts of the state,” said Surendra Jondhale, a political analyst. NCP debacle in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections last year can partly be attributed to the corruption charges against its senior leaders. While many senior NCP leaders including Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal and Sunil Tatkare have been accused of corruption, Patil was never accused of corruption even by his opponents. His clean image was also endorsed by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare. Senior NCP leaders say that he was elevated as group leader of party in the state legislature due to his clean image to take on the BJP-Shiv Sena government. “He was the crowd puller in the party having the connect with the grassroots. He played an important role on taking on the earlier Sena-BJP government. Now, he was crucial for us given the fact that we are again on the opposition benches and are struggling to revive the party’s fortunes,” an NCP leader said on condition of anonymity. Prithviraj Chavan, former CM and senior Congress leader, said that the party might not have split if Patil hadn’t sided with Pawar in 1999. “He had played an important role in forming the NCP. Had he taken a different stance in 1999, the NCP might not have been formed,” Chavan said.