Nana Patole is an unstable element of the Periodic table of the Chemistry of Indian politics.
He is still not old enough to be called a ‘senior politician’ but he definitely is a ‘seasoned’ one!
In his few decades in politics, he has been with the Shiv Sena, the party he began with, then ventured into the Congress, then resigned and became an ‘Independent’, went back to the Congress, resigned again, went with the BJP, became an M.P. and has now submitted his resignation both from the Lok Sabha and BJP.
Word has it that now he is likely to campaign with Rahul Gandhi in the last phase of the ongoing Gujarat elections. The elections that are stirring up emotions like in a hot cauldron. Insecurity and fear psychosis in ruling BJP, optimism in Congress and opportunism in others…
In this scenario, when an astute politician with his ears to the ground, decides to quit, citing both the Central and state governments’ failings towards farmers, it says something.
Nana’s growing proximity to Congress was apparent when he held a press conference in Nagpur recently.
Curiously it was held in an MNS leader’s office. Patole had one and only one agenda for the conference; to send a warning to BJP top bosses of the state: “don’t mess with me” was the message.
He refused to comment on whether he was planning to quit the party, but readily acknowledged that he was looking forward to meeting Rahul Gandhi in Delhi soon.
This emerged when he was quipped about whether he was in talks with Congress leaders of the state like Ahsok Chavan; “why state leaders, I am going to be meeting Rahul Gandhi himself in December” he quipped.
Today, there is every possibility he will be seen in Gujarat with Gandhi.
(The road shows planned by both Rahul and Modi have been disallowed, but planned election rallied will go on.)
Remember one unique quality of unstable elements in chemistry?
They always look to combine with other substances to form stable compounds.
Do we see a new compound emerging from the cauldron of Gujarat?
