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NCP chief Sharad Pawar to step down as party president
A committee will be formed to decide who should be given the responsibility of the party chief's post, Pawar said.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced his decision to step down as party chief. However, he won't retire from active politics.
Pawar, who helmed the party since its inception in 1999, said in his address, "I have three years left of Rajya Sabha membership in Parliament, during which I will focus on issues related to Maharashtra and India, with a caveat of not taking any responsibility. After a long period of public life from May 1, 1960, to May 1, 2023, it is necessary to take a step back. Hence, I have decided to step down as President of the Nationalist Congress Party".
A committee will be formed to decide who should be given the responsibility of the party chief's post, Pawar said. He said the panel should have senior members including Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Jayant Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Chhagan Bhujbal and others.
“My colleagues, even though I am stepping down from the post of president, I am not retiring from public life. ‘Constant travel’ has become an integral part of my life. I will continue attending public events, meetings. Whether I am in Pune, Mumbai, Baramati, Delhi or any other part of India, I will be available to all of you as usual”, Pawar told the NCP workers.
As soon as the veteran leader announced his decision, the NCP workers in the auditorium demanded that Pawar withdraw his decision, saying they won't leave the auditorium till he does so.
