MUMBAI, Aug 11: "A victory is a victory," Sharad Pawar said in the face of combined opposition to him during the 1996 Lok Sabha elections. He has the same sentiments now. And even if the world believes he ``scraped through'' the Congress Working Committee elections, the Maratha leader says he got there on his own.

Far from being humbled by being placed ninth on the CWC, Pawar believes that his achievements saw him through, given the severe opposition from heavyweights.

Speaking to The Indian Express on his return from Calcutta, Pawar said, ``I was the only candidate who did not approach any group or panel for votes. I did not campaign. I made no written requests. I did not meet anybody. I did not distribute pleas that the delegates vote for me.''

He added in deadpan matter-of-fact tones, ``And yet I won because Congressmen felt sincerely that this is a higher body and the proper people must be elected.''

Pawar denied that he had gained his victory with support from Uttar Pradesh strongman Jitendra Prasad. He also appeared rattled by comments that he had barely managed to save his onions by just ``scraping through'', though he admitted that ``this time there were major forces working against me.''

He, however, did not specify who these forces were. ``But I am grateful to all Congress delegates who voted for me,'' he said.

Sources in the Maharashtra Congress, however, contradicted Pawar's claims and said he had scraped through in the last round essentially because he got ``block votes of 70 or more'' from UP. ``Pawar was `allowed' to win the CWC elections by Prasad and others because it was felt that he was less dangerous in than out. ``No CWC member dares take on the party president and generally goes along with the high command's decisions,'' one senior leader said.

He said the potential of a rival like Pawar outside the CWC was clearly recognised by his opponents as ``tremendous''. ``Now he can be asked to keep a lid on differences, since all CWC members will be party to all decisions whether by a majority vote or unanimously,'' he said.

Pawar, however, is believed to have received a fair chunk of the votes from his home turf. There were 76 delegates from the State. The Maratha leader is believed to have taken 60 of those votes. While this might look like quite an impressive chunk, his detractors, however, look upon it as a failure to carry Maharashtra with him.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.