Sharad Pawar resigns as NCP chief, seeks 2-3 days to reconsider decision

In a dramatic development, Sharad Pawar on Tuesday decided to step down as the president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

However, with pressure mounting on Pawar to take back his resignation, the 82-year-old veteran politician has sought 2-3 days to reconsider.

Senior leaders met Pawar and requested him to take back the resignation.

“Pawar saheb has asked two to three days to reconsider,” the junior Pawar said addressing party workers.

Read | Raut likens Pawar’s decision to step down to Bal Thackeray’s 'resignation', says history seems to have repeated itself

The resignation early in the day came as a shock to the NCP family including Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule and his nephew Ajit Pawar.

“After a long period of public life from May 1, 1960, to May 1, 2023, it is necessary to take a step back. Hence, I have decided to step down as President of the NCP. However, I intend to do more in the fields of education, agriculture, cooperation, sports and culture, amongst others. I will also pay attention to issues related to the youth, students, workers, Dalits, tribals and other weaker sections of the society,” Pawar said in what came as a surprise to the NCP leadership and the party workers.

Pawar was speaking at the launch of 'Lok Majhe Sangati’, the revised edition of memoirs, which throws light on national and Maharashtra politics post-2015.

As soon as he made the announcement, top leaders and workers urged him not to step down.

Some of them broke into tears and engaged in sloganeering hailing Pawar.

Pawar was accompanied by his wife Pratibha Pawar.

“I cannot forget that Maharashtra and all of you have given me strong support and love in the last 6 decades. It’s time for a new generation to guide the party and set it in the direction it intends to take. I am recommending that a committee of NCP members should be formed to decide on the election of the vacancy in the President's post,” he said.

According to him, the committee should include Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, K K Sharma, P C Chacko, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Jaydev Gaikwad and ex-officio member: Fauzia Khan, President, Nationalist Mahila Congress, Dheeraj Sharma, President, Nationalist Youth Congress; Sonia Duhan, President, Nationalist Youth Congress and Nationalist Students' Congress.

This committee will decide on the president's selection. It will continue to strive for the growth of the party organization, to take the ideology and goals of the party to the people, and to serve the people, as they deem fit, he said.

“My colleagues, even though I am stepping down from the post of president, I am not retiring from public life. ‘Constant travel’ has become an integral part of my life. I will continue attending public events, and meetings. Whether I am in Pune, Mumbai, Baramati, Delhi or any other part of India, I will be available to all of you as usual. I will continue to work round the clock to solve the people’s problems,” he said.