Sharad Pawar steps down as NCP chief, He says ‘one has to stop somewhere’
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Amid speculation that Sharad pawar nephew and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar is considering an understanding with the BJP, Sharad Pawar, the founder and chief of the NCP since 1999, on Tuesday announced to step down from the post and to not contest any elections in future.
The move comes at a time when Mr. Pawar was seen as a leader who could bring together Opposition parties of different hues, interests and ideologies, ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls next year.
“After a long period of public life from May 1, 1960, to May 1, 2023, it is necessary to take a step back. After this prolonged political career, one must think about stopping somewhere. One must not be greedy. Hence, I have decided to step down as President of the NCP,” the 82-year-old veteran in Indian politics who is widely credited as the architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for bringing together the NCP, the Congress and ideologically opposite Shiv Sena in an unlikely coalition, after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, said in an announcement at the launch of the second edition of his political memoirs, ‘ Lok Maze Sangati’
The NCP patriarch said it was time for the new generation to guide the party and the direction it intended to take, and recommended that a committee comprising party senior leaders, including his daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, Mr. Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Praful Patel, and others would decide who should be his successor.
Congress leader Nana Patole expressed confidence that Mr. Pawar’s decision will not impact the MVA and hoped that the new chief of the NCP will stay with the alliance. “We thought Pawar saheb will remain in public life till his last breath but we can’t tell why he resigned,” he said.
Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s spokesperson and MLA Sanjay Shirsat said the decision came as a shock for them too and appealed to Mr. Pawar to withdraw his decision. “We wish that he shouldn’t take retirement and should understand the emotions of party cadre,” he said.