Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced his decision to step down from his position amid news of his 63-year-old nephew Ajith Pawar drifting towards the BJP.
He made the surprise announcement at the launch of the revised version of the Marathi autobiography 'Lok Majhe Saangaati', which includes developments post-2015, at the YB Chavan Centre here.
Taken aback by the sudden announcement, party workers present at the venue asked Pawar to withdraw his decision to step down as the party chief. While NCP president Jayant Patil and party leader Jitendra Awhad broke down after Pawar's decision, party MP Praful Pawar beseeched him to withdraw his decision. Patel said Pawar did not take anyone into confidence before announcing his resignation.
"After a long time (being at the helm of the party) it is necessary to stop somewhere. Therefore, I have decided to step down from the post of NCP president," Pawar told the audience.
"Since the formation of NCP in 1999, I have been serving as the president for the past 24 years. My journey in public life started on May 1, 1960, and has been continuing for the past 63 years. Of that, I have been working continuously as a member or minister of one house or the other for 56 years.
"Three more years are left in my Rajya Sabha membership. During this period I will focus my attention on the affairs of the state and the country and will not take any other responsibility," he said.
"I am with you, but not as NCP chief," he told his emotional workers opposing his resignation.
Pawar, a former Congressman and three-time chief minister of Maharashtra, said a committee of senior NCP leaders will decide the party's new chief. “The committee will include Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, P C Chacko, Narhari Zirwal, Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujabl, Dilip Walse-Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Jaydev Gaikwad,” he said.
Won't change decision: Ajit Pawar
Reports that Ajit may take over gained traction when he said that the "next president of NCP will work under Pawar saheb's guidance".
"Pawar saheb himself had said about the necessity of change in guard a few days back. We should see his decision in the light of his age and health also. Everyone has to decide according to time, Pawar Saheb has taken a decision and he won't take it back," says
"Pawar Saheb will always be the head of the NCP family. Whoever will be the new President will work only under Pawar Saheb's guidance," Ajit added.
Opposition unity
The move comes at a time when Pawar is seen as a pole to tie opposition parties of different hues, interests and ideologies, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year.
Pawar, who served as Union Defence and Agriculture minister, was instrumental in stitching together an unlikely coalition of the NCP, Congress and then ideologically opposite Shiv Sena to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
The NCP chief said he intends to do more in the fields of education, agriculture, cooperation, sports and culture, amongst others and also pay attention to issues related to the youth, students, workers, Dalits, tribal people and other weaker sections of the society.