Sharad Pawar’s resignation as party leader was rejected by the Nationalist Congress Party on Friday, and the party has asked him to continue to serve as its leader.
“The committee has unanimously passed a resolution. It unanimously rejects his decision to step down and urges him to continue as party president,” Patel said after a meeting of the committee.
Pawar himself had set up the committee, including Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, former Union minister Parful Patel and Chhagan Bhujbal, after he announced on 2 May that he would be resigning as NCP chief.
“We will meet Pawar saheb with this resolution and request him to reconsider his decision,” Patel, who is also the vice president and convenor of committee said. Patel said further that the party and the country needs a leader like Pawar.
“Pawar saheb is a respected leader in the country. There was a strong response against Pawar’s decision. The emotions cannot be ignored,” Patel said.
The resolution was made in response to Sharad Pawar’s decision to resign from his position as NCP national president, according to sources, during a meeting of the party’s core committee this morning.
The 18-member committee that met today comprised of Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, KK Sharma, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Jaidev Gaikwad, Narhari Jhirwal, Fauzia Khan, President, Nationalist Mahila Congress, Dheeraj Sharma, President Nationalist Youth Congress.
NCP workers were seen raised slogans in support of Sharad Pawar, urging him to reconsider his decision. Sharad Pawar had on Tuesday announced his resignation from the party president’s post.
His nephew Ajit Pawar supported the former’s decision saying that the next party chief will work under Sharad Pawar. The statement was instantly met with emotional protests from party workers and leaders, who urged the veteran MP to reverse his decision.
NCP state president Jayant Patil had said that even though Sharad Pawar has taken the decision, people from acorss Maharashtra and other places people are requesting him to take back his decision.
“I have conveyed message of party leaders and workers. All sections of Maharashtra have requested Pawar Saheb to take back his decision, atleast for next elections,” Patil said yesterday.
The NCP State president said that several people have joined NCP because Sharad Pawar is head of the party. “We have explained all this to Sharad Pawar. Therefore everyone is requesting Pawar Saheb to take back his decision.”
After Pawar announced that he was quitting as NCP chief, some office bearers in the state said they would also quit their posts and asked the leader to reconsider his decision.
NCP committee begins meeting today to get new chief
The committee formed for the selection of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief has started meeting in the NCP office today. This announcement came after NCP chief Sharad Pawar stepped down as party chief on 2 May 2023 after a long period of public life from 1 May 1960 to 1 May 2023. He also cleared that he will not retire from active politics.
“After this prolonged period of political career from 1 May 1960 to 1 May 2023, it is necessary to take a step back. Hence, I have decided to step down as President of the Nationalist Congress Party. A committee will be formed to decide who should be given the responsibility of the party chief’s post,” Pawar said after the launch of the second edition of his autobiography ‘Lok Maze Sangati’.
Maharashtra president Jayant Patil said that all sections of the state have requested Sharad Pawar to take back his decision, at least till the next elections.
“I have conveyed the message of party leaders and workers. All sections of Maharashtra have requested Pawar Saheb to take back his decision, atleast for the next elections,” he said.
Moments after NCP chief Sharad Pawar announced his resignation from the party president’s post on Tuesday, his nephew Ajit Pawar supported the former’s decision saying that the next party chief will work under Sharad Pawar.
“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 Pawar told the party cadre who were protesting against Sharad Pawar’s decision urging him to withdraw it.
