Pawar downplays Ajit’s demand for Maha NCP chief post

Ajit has time and again shown how he controls most of the MLAs of the party. Reacting to nephew Ajit’s ambitious desire, party supremo Sharad Pawar said he cannot take the decision of making Ajit Maharashtra president on his own. It would be a “consensual decision” taken by senior leaders of the party

Mumbai: After Supriya Sule was elevated as the working president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on June 10 by party supremo Sharad Pawar, who also entrusted her with the responsibility of the state, her cousin Ajit Pawar, expressed his desire to become Maharashtra NCP president.

Mumbai, India - May 02, 2023: NCP leaders, workers, supporters of Sharad Pawar protest in solidarity against his resignation as party president urging him to reconsider his decision, at Y.B. Chavan Centre, Nariman Point, in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, May 02, 2023. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Ajit has time and again shown how he controls most of the MLAs of the party. Reacting to nephew Ajit’s ambitious desire, party supremo Sharad Pawar said he cannot take the decision of making Ajit Maharashtra president on his own. It would be a “consensual decision” taken by senior leaders of the party.

“One person cannot take such a decision. Senior leaders including him (Ajit Pawar) will discuss and take a consensual decision,” Pawar said in response to Ajit’s aspiration.

Last Wednesday, Ajit expressed his desire to work as Maharashtra president by saying that he has no interest left in continuing as the leader of the opposition and wants to show the people how to run the party.

Sharad Pawar downplayed Ajit’s remark. “He (Ajit) wanted to make a point that senior leaders should take interest in strengthening the organisation and not more than that,” the veteran leader said, trying to dismiss any sort of tension within the party over leadership roles.

The development also brought to the fore growing voices within the party to replace Jayant Patil, who is holding the state president position for more than five years now. Soon after Ajit, senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal too expressed his willingness to take up the state president’s responsibility of the party. He also asserted that the position should be given to a leader from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community on the grounds that the opposition leader post is with a leader from the Maratha community.