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Sharad Pawar quits as NCP chief: Five points about veteran leader
Speaking at a book launch of his autobiography in Mumbai, Sharad Pawar said, “After a long period of public life… it is necessary to take a step back”.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced his decision to step down as party chief. However, he won't retire from active politics.
Speaking at a book launch of his autobiography at the Yashwantrao Chavan Pratisthan in Mumbai, Pawar said that “After a long period of public life from May 1, 1960, to May 1, 2023, it is necessary to take a step back”. He added that “it is time for a new generation to guide the party.”
Pawar also recommended forming a committee of NCP members to decide on the election of the vacancy of the President's post. He also suggested leaders for the committee which includes Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, K.K. Sharma, P.C. Chacko, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Jaydev Gaikwad, among others.
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Here are five points on Sharad Pawar:
1) Sharad Pawar began his political career with the Indian National Congress (INC). Under the Congress, Pawar has held several key positions. Pawar resigned from Congress after the party had decided to name Sonia Gandhi, a non-Indian, as the party's Prime Ministerial candidate.
2) Pawar founded the NCP after he separated from the Indian National Congress in 1999. He is the leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha.
3) Pawar was first elected a member of the Maharashtra’s Legislative Assembly in 1967. During his time as an MLA, Pawar served in several ministries.
4) Pawar first became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1978. Pawar has, since then, served as Maharashtra's CM four times. He has also been elected Lok Sabha member six times. Pawar has been the Minister of Defense under PV Narasimha Rao's government.
5) Sharad Pawar is also the chairperson of a state political alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). It was Pawar who made it possible for the alliance of NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena to form, which won the 2019 Maharashtra Assemble Elections with Uddhav Thackeray becoming the chief minister then.
