In a major political move in Maharashtra on Tuesday, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar said he is stepping down as the party chief. It is time for a new generation to guide the party and the direction it intends to take, Pawar said in an official statement.
Pawar's move comes amid speculations about his nephew Ajit Pawar. The veteran leader said a committee of NCP members will formed to decide on the election to the post of the party president. He said the committee should have top party leaders 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.
One of the country's top Opposition leaders, Pawar has played in key role in holding together the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance that comprises the NCP, the Congress and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction).
Talking about his political journy so far, Pawar said: This entire journey of being in public life, which began on May 1, 1960, has continued unabated for the past 63 years. I have three years left of Rajya Sabha membership in Parliament, during which I will focus on issues related to Maharashtra and India in various capacities during this period, with a caveat of not taking any responsibility."
It is necessary to take a step back, he said.
Pawar made the announcement at the launch of his revised version of the autobiography which was met with protests by party workers and leaders who asked the octogenarian leader to revoke the decision.
While Patil and Awhad broke down after Pawar's decision, party MP Praful Patel requested him to withdraw his decision. Patel said Pawar did not take anyone into confidence before announcing his resignation.
-with agency inputs
