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From 1999 to 2023, Sharad Pawar’s leadership shaped NCP
Sharad Pawar, the founder and president of India's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has announced his resignation, causing turmoil within the party. While he has promised to reconsider his decision, many are unsure if he will. Pawar, who has led the party for 24 years, is facing multiple challenges including his party being out of power and losing its national status. He reportedly wants to ensure a smooth handover to the next generation of leaders.
It was back in May 1999 when Pawar – returning from a stormy Congress meet in the national capital wherein he opposed Sonia Gandhi’s candidature for party president over her foreign origin – had announced his decision to form a new party from this platform, startling many in the bargain. The same evening, a large crowd gathered at the Tilak Smarak, Tilak Road – the venue for the Vasant Vyakhyanmala - where Pawar spoke about his new party which eventually took shape as the NCP and grew under his leadership for 24 years even as it shared power from the very first year of being founded.
So, when Pawar announced his resignation on Tuesday, from the post of president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), it shook party workers.
While he assured NCP workers that he would rethink his decision in the next three days however most of them are unsure he will actually do so. According to those in Pawar’s inner circle, he has been thinking of retiring from his post for some time now although the reaffirmation in the form of the announcement did come as a surprise even to them.
“Sharad Pawar is a leader who will think from all angles before taking any decision and assess its pros and cons,” said Vitthal Maniyar, Pawar’s associate for more than five decades and his classmate.
Just three years ago during campaigning for the 2019 assembly polls, Pawar had constantly underlined that he was still young and ready to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena combine in the assembly polls. The message had been clear – Pawar did not want the NCP cadre to be further demoralised after a series of desertions.
At 82, Pawar is facing multiple challenges including his party no longer being in power not to mention losing its national status. This is the second time that NCP, under Pawar, is out of power in Maharashtra; the first time was 2014 to 2019, and the second time from 2022 till now. With speculation rife about his nephew Ajit Pawar’s next possible move, Pawar senior, according to another close aide, wants to make sure that the reins are handed over to the next generation smoothly. As to who it will be from the next generation, Maharashtra will come to know in a few days, said a party leader requesting not be named.
