You are needed as NCP head: Rane to Pawar

Following Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar’s announcement that he was resigning from the post of the party chief, union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narayan Rane’s reaction came as a surprise for many

Mumbai: Following Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar’s announcement that he was resigning from the post of the party chief, union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narayan Rane’s reaction came as a surprise for many.

Mumbai, India - Aug. 25, 2021:--------------------in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, August 25, 2021. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

Rane on Tuesday tweeted, “Respected Pawar saheb, you are needed in politics and also as the president of the NCP.”

Though his tweet was perceived as a surprise, Pawar and Rane have always shared a cordial relation. The union minister always maintained that he respected the NCP chief.

According to a senior NCP leader, Rane was in touch with Pawar when he decided to quit Shiv Sena in 2005. “Pawar knew about Rane’s plan to quit the Shiv Sena. In fact, the NCP leader, who is now an MP from Raigad, was in constant touch with Rane when he was preparing to split the Sena. There was a Congress-NCP government in the state and the NCP was tapping the possibility of including Rane in its fold,” he said.

Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said he would not comment on Pawar’s resignation. “It is an internal issue of the NCP, so it will not be right for me to talk about it now. We are keeping an eye on the developments though,” Fadnavis said.