Sharad Pawar steps down as NCP chief: In a dramatic move that could have a bearing on national and Maharashtra politics ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced his decision to step down as president of his party. The announcement by Pawar at an event in Mumbai stunned leaders and workers of his party, and many were seen crying and pleading with the 82-year-old party patriarch to reconsider his decision. Later in the day, Ajit Pawar, nephew of Sharad Pawar, said the NCP veteran would take two to three days to rethink his decision.
Sharad Pawar, while announcing his resignation, said that he has decided to step down as the president of the NCP after helming it for 24 years and stated that he will not contest any more elections. "After this prolonged period of political career 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 Nationalist Congress Party," Pawar said after the launch of the second edition of his autobiography 'Lok Maze Sangati'.
Here are the top 10 developments in the matter:
- Announcing his decision, Sharad Pawar said he intended to do more in the fields of education, agriculture, cooperation and sports and culture among others and also pay attention to issues related to the youth, students, workers, Dalits, tribals and other weaker sections of society.
- A meeting of a committee of party leaders was held at Sharad Pawar's residence, after which his nephew Ajit Pawar announced that his uncle will need two to three days to "think over" his decision.
- The announcement by the NCP president came less than a fortnight after his daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule indicated there will be two political "blasts" in 15 days, one in Delhi and another in Maharashtra.
- While NCP president Jayant Patil and party leader Jitendra Awhad broke down after Pawar’s decision, party MP Praful Patel begged him to withdraw his decision.
- District unit office bearers in some places in Maharashtra said they were quitting their posts to demand that he reconsider his decision. However, Ajit Pawar requested NCP functionaries not to resign from their posts.
- An upset NCP worker in Pune even went up to the extent of writing a letter to Sharad Pawar with his blood and appealed him to take back his decision.
- Ajit Pawar asked the party workers and leaders not to become emotional over the decision and said, "Pawar Saheb himself had said about the necessity of change in guard a few days back.
- Ajit Pawar said the members of the committee suggested by Sharad Pawar to elect the next party President are "not from outside, but are from within the NCP family itself".
- According to sources, NCP leader Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, is being seen as a front-runner for the party's top post. She, however, is expected to find tough competition from brother Ajit Pawar as well as senior party leader Praful Patel.
- The decision by one of the tallest Opposition leaders in the country who could bring their parties together against the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections also comes amid intense speculation over Ajit Pawar's next political move.
(With inputs from agencies)
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