WHILE writing the first ever blog of mine, I have some memories back on my mind. It was almost a year back when I had my first ever one-to-one interaction with late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan. I don’t actually reminisce the context in which the "master manager", after asking my brief profile, said that following the completion of his journalism course in Ranade institute of Pune , he could hardly scribble few lines while making an application which he wanted to submit to local marathi daily.

Mahajan, whom I was accompanying for the news coverage from Pune to Solapur during  last year's rath-yatra conducted by Lalkrishna Advani, then said he now see more people at the helm of various affairs coming from rural hinterland of the country. He actually was pointing at him self, but for no reason I felt like flexing my muscles. Mahajan proved himself and went into the list of  "would be prime minister" of this country where there is no dearth of leaders even when there is always paucity of voters when it comes to polling.

The sudden demise of Mahajan, which will complete one year in next few days (May 3), really hurt me inside that time after I got the first take about he was shot by his brother during the morning session of last week of April. I was actually in Amravati (my native place) that time trying to recollect how in my half an hour interesting discussion with him, the late leader told me many things and I was indeed inspired as well as attracted to his personality. It actually began after I requested him to take me to Advani for one-to-one interview, when the convoy of leaders had taken a brief halt near Patas near Pune. Mahajan didn’t act immediately but slightly passed on my visiting card to Sudhendra Kulkarni, Advani's one time favourite, who later fell into controversy. Although my wish of interviewing Advani didn’t come into reality, the pleasure and satisfaction was conspicuous on my mind after having talks with Mahajan and another BJP leader Anant Kumar, who was also present there.

Mahajan's reply to my query about why BJP was going ahead with this rath-yatra despite poor response, though did not satisfy me, yet I found logic in it when he told me “never pay attention to media's uncalled advice....just read the paper and build your own opinion”. According to Mahajan, the itinerary of Advani was an attempt to project party's efforts to re-establish the contact with rural India after the later felt it has thinned following BJP's campaign through "India Shining" lenses. He then gave me an example of Sharad Pawar, who never stop coming to inaugurate functions in rural parts. "It establish the faith of rural Indians on you and they starts feeling that the leader is their'. Further, it also help the leader to analyse if the Janata accepts him in his present form or he requires changes in his or his party’s character”, Mahajan said. Many a times, political leaders act in certain way or delivers certain statements having deep connotations or sometime they even plant certain statements through media for getting a feedback from the aam-janata. Their future course of action depends on that feedback, said Mahajan. 

Though at that point of time I did not understand what connotations could have been to the late leader’s that last comments, but now after an year when I see Mahajan’s statement and congress leader’s recent remarks about Pawar should join congress, I find lot of logic in this. The recent remarks by Vilasrao Deshmukh and his other party collegues about Pawar should merge his party after the NCP leader accepting Sonia Gandhi’s present stature, might have been charged as ‘an attempt to create bewilderment among the voters’, but I am not convinced to that. 

Going by the Mahan’s logic and Pawar’s past record when the later, prior to his re-entry into congress in 1980 after he parted way to form United Progressive Front led government, planted similar statement through his party colleagues, I sense that Pawar is yet again ready to wear old hat. This I am saying because few days back I came across an article written by Praveen Bardapurkar (Editor- Loksatta, Nagpur ). The article had mentioned about how Pawar had planted news through his one time favourite Datta Meghe in 80, when later told Bardapurkar that Pawar is considering to join congress again. Though Pawar rebuffed the news as rumour, he changed his side one fine day. It later became clear that Pawar through such news planting was trying to judge the mood of the people and their reaction about whether they will accept him. It went off in favour of Maratha leader and he changed his side.

The leader is now once again aiming for big. NCP, his present party is perhaps not enough capable to lead Pawar to take him to coveted position and in that case we may see repeat of 1980 show.