Maharashtra: Pawar shakes state politics by stepping down as NCP president

Veteran politician Sharad Pawar, who is known for springing surprises, on Tuesday, shook state politics with his sudden announcement of stepping down from the presidentship of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and stunned his party workers. However, after a day-long drama with the second rung leaders and party cadres beseeching him to roll back his decision, the party appears to be heading towards the appointment of a ‘working president’ while Pawar retains his position as president. 

Pawar, who had been the president of the party – Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - since its inception in 1999, made the announcement at the launch of revised version of his autobiography Lok Majhe Sangati (My Fellow People), which was met with protests by party workers and leaders who asked the octogenarian leader to rescind the decision.

After almost the day-long drama, his nephew and likely successor Ajit Pawar, told party workers while requesting them to maintain calm  that Pawar Sr has sought about 2-3 days’ time to rethink his decision. He also told the media that a via-media of appointment of ‘working president’ too has been suggested as one of the alternatives.

Pawar, who rose to speak towards the end of the book-release function, reviewed his long political career spanning 63 years in about 15 minutes and dropped the bombshell by suddenly announcing retirement from the position of party president.

“Of the 63 years in public life, I’ve been a public representative for 56 years. I still have 3 years left as Rajya Sabha member. 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’ve decided to step down as president of the Nationalist Congres Party,” Pawar said.

“I intend to do more in the fields of education, agriculture, cooperation, sports and culture among others. I will also pay attention to issues related to the youth, students, workers, dalits, tribals and other weaker sections of the society,” he added.

At the end of his speech Pawar also announced a committee to decide upon the new party president.

There was an uneasy silence in the auditorium as Pawar continued speaking for a few more minutes. By the time the party workers and the leaders had come out of the initial shock and started sloganeering requesting him to roll back on his decision. Meanwhile party leaders also too to the dais to request him to remain in the position of party president.

While NCP president Jayant Patil and party leader Jitendra Awhad broke down after Pawar’s decision, party MP Praful Patel beseeched him to withdraw his decision. Patel said, “Pawar did not take anyone into confidence before announcing his resignation.”

Ajit Pawar said that the senior Pawar will abide by the decision of the party’s committee on his resignation.

Sharad Pawar told his emotional workers opposing his resignation, “I am with you, but not as NCP chief.”

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.

A four-time Maharashtra chief minister, who served as Union Defence and Agriculture minister, Pawar 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.

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