Sharad Pawar to remain NCP chief? Committee rejects resignation

The committee formed to decide on the NCP president post has proposed the rejection of Sharad Pawar's resignation, sources told CNBC-TV18 on Friday. "All the committee members (including Ajit Pawar) decided that Sharad Pawar's resignation will not be accepted," they said.

"We're all confident that since the committee has rejected his resignation, he will once again be the NCP chief," said NCP's Anand Paranjpe.

However, sources said that three out of 15 members of the committee changed their stand later and are now ready to accept Pawar's resignation. Ajit Pawar was one of the three leaders, News 18 reported.

"The committee is discussing that Supriya Sule should be given more and new responsibilities in the party," they said. Sule is Sharad Pawar's daughter and an MP from Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra.

NCP Vice-President Praful Patel said in a press conference on Friday that "Pawar Saheb" took the decision without informing party leaders. "Considering all the demands of the party workers and leader, we held a meeting today and the committee has passed a proposal unanimously. The committee unanimously rejects this resignation and we request him to continue on his post of party president," he said.

Patel added that several leaders met Sharad Pawar and "requested him continuously to rethink over his decision as the country and party needs him at this hour". He said that not just NCP leaders but other party leaders and eminent personalities also requested him to continue as party chief.

The development came after the NCP's internal committee held a discussion over the selection of the new party president. Ahead of the meeting, several NCP workers were seen raising slogans in support of Sharad Pawar, outside the party office in Mumbai.

Sharad Pawar announced his resignation from the post of party chief on Tuesday, May 2. The surprise move irked many NCP workers and leaders, who launched protests and held a hunger strike to oppose Sharad's decision to step down. They continue to make emotional appeals to Sharad Pawar, requesting him to reconsider his decision.

On Friday as well, several NCP leaders protested outside the party office. One of the party workers attempted self-immolation.

Justifying his stance on stepping down as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, Sharad Pawar said on Thursday that he resigned "for party’s future" and to create a new leadership. He, however, admitted his "mistake", saying he should have taken NCP leaders into confidence before making any decision. "But I was sure, if I had discussed it with you, you would never have said yes," Pawar said on Thursday. Read full story here