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NCP in a huddle after Sharad Pawar steps down; uncertainty over successor
Sharad Pawar, one of India’s tallest and senior-most political leaders, on Tuesday announced his decision to step down as NCP chief.
A day after Sharad Pawar announced his decision to step down as chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), party leaders on Wednesday huddled up in an attempt to convince him to reconsider his decision, even as a section of them hinted that there was growing consensus in favour of his daughter Supriya Sule to take over the post.
As NCP workers, who were gathered at south Mumbai’s YB Chavan Centre, continued to raise slogans demanding withdrawal of his resignation, Pawar met party MLAs and leaders for over three hours at the premises and even held a slew of meetings at his residence ‘Silver Oak’ in the evening.
In response to an ultimatum by party workers that they will resign from their posts if no decision is taken by May 5, the 83-year-old veteran told reporters: “I will accept whatever decision will be taken by the committee.”
Pawar was referring to a committee that he had announced, after his resignation, on Tuesday to decide on the next president of the party.
“I took the decision without informing anyone. You would not have allowed me to take the decision if I would have told anyone,” he told the protesting workers.
Pawar, one of India’s tallest and senior-most political leaders, on Tuesday announced his decision to step down as NCP chief. The development came amid swirling rumours about a section of party leaders breaking away to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra.
Pawar’s announcement, made at the Mumbai launch of his autobiography Lok Mazhe Sangati, left his party reeling, with many senior leaders breaking down as others clambering onto the dais entreating him not to quit. Such was the pressure mounted on him through the day that he finally asked for another two to three days to consider his decision “more deeply”.
NCP MLA from Thane Jitendra Awhad on Wednesday said he had resigned as the party’s national general secretary following Pawar’s announcement that he was stepping down as the party chief.
“Pawar saheb always takes his decision with due diligence and has remained firm on it. He must have thought a lot before reaching this conclusion. I don’t think he will step back and, in all likelihood, will remain firm on his decision,” a senior NCP leader and a close aide of Pawar said, seeking anonymity.
Amid speculation over talks about the next party chief, senior NCP leader Praful Patel said there was no question of picking Sharad Pawar’s successor until there was a final decision on his announcement to quit the post.
“Pawar yesterday said there should be a generational change. Maybe he wanted a new generation to step forward. None of us knew about it beforehand. He has asked for some time and we should grant him that,” he said.
Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, who is a Member of Parliament (MP) from Baramati, is considered to be the frontrunner to replace him.
A second senior NCP leader said: “It is known within the party that Pawar wants Sule as his political heir. However, since Ajit Pawar controls a significant number of MLAs, the best possible solution is to work out an arrangement between the two. In that way, both can be guided by Pawar.”
Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal spoke in favour of Sule, saying she was ideal for a “national role”.
“She has been doing well as a parliamentarian. So there will be no problem in deciding the new (NCP) president. Ajit Pawar should handle the responsibility of the state (Maharashtra). The division of work is already there,” he said.
On Tuesday, Pawar’s nephew and the man widely believed to have prompted his uncle’s drastic move in the first place, Ajit Pawar, had requested NCP MLAs and office-bearers to stop bombarding his uncle with their own resignations.He was the only prominent leader who supported Pawar’s decision to step down. “If he is not the president, it does not mean he is not in the party. He is looking to create new leadership... The new party chief will work under saheb’s leadership,” said Ajit Pawar, who only last week took a dig at Sharad Pawar’s advancing years, saying that some leaders step away when they get old.
