Maharashtra: Jayant Patil hints at stepping down as NCP (SP) state chief

Jayant Patil was speaking at an event in Pune to mark the 26th foundation day of the NCP (SP), where party chief Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders were present on the dais

Pune: Senior NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Jayant Patil on Monday indicated his desire to resign from the post of Maharashtra state president, saying that it was time for the party to offer opportunities to new faces.

NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil (File Photo)

Patil was speaking at an event in Pune to mark the 26th foundation day of the NCP (SP), where party chief Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders were present on the dais.

“Pawar Saheb gave me many opportunities. I was given a tenure of seven years. Ultimately, the party needs to give a chance to new faces. I will request Sharad Pawar in front of you all—after all, the party belongs to Pawar Saheb. He should take an appropriate decision on this. We have a long way to go,” Patil said.

His remarks prompted an immediate response from party workers in the audience, who urged him to stay on. Sharad Pawar, seated on the dais, listened without reacting, even as many supporters voiced their support for Patil.

Patil, who has held the post of state unit chief since 2018, is known to be a close confidant of Pawar and has played a key role in holding the party together, particularly after the split in the NCP last year.

His comments come at a time when there is renewed speculation over a possible merger of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party. They also follow recent remarks by Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Rohit Pawar, who during the party’s 25th foundation day, said that while he had no ambition to lead the party, he was open to accepting any responsibility given by the leadership.

Patil did not announce a resignation formally, but his words are being viewed as a significant signal of an impending change in the party’s Maharashtra leadership.

Rival factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are holding separate Foundation Day gatherings in Pune today in the backdrop of a growing buzz over a reunion, though both sides insisted there was no such proposal on the table despite frequent meetings between their top leaders.