Maharashtra: NCP likely to get its new President on Friday after Sharad Pawar's surprise resignation

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will likely pick its new leader a day after tomorrow. Party supremo Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said that he has asked the committee of party leaders formed in order to choose a new leader to meet on May 5 instead of the day after (May 6). The panel, whose convenor is Praful Patel, includes Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal and Anil Deshmukh.

Pawar says he regrets announcing decision without consulting

Pawar, who was at his office at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai for the major part of the day, met party workers and listened to them. Senior NCP leaders also held informal discussions. Later, Pawar said that he was probably wrong in announcing his decision to step down without consulting his colleagues.

“I regret not having taken all my colleagues into confidence before announcing my decision. Had I taken them in confidence, there would not have been so much of opposition to the decision,” he said.

Praful Patel says Pawar to remain party chief

Earlier in the day, NCP national vice president Praful Patel said that Pawar will remain the party chief until he reconsiders his decision to step down, and there would be no discussions to pick his successor until then.

He also said that he himself was not in the running for the top post.

The committee, which Pawar himself set up on Tuesday, did not meet on Wednesday, Patel said.

“There is no vacancy,” he said. “Whether Pawar remains president or not, he is the party’s identity and soul.”

The party was trying to persuade Pawar to reconsider his decision, Patel said.

“Party workers should have patience and stop resigning from their posts en masse [in protest against Pawar’s decision],” he said.

The ‘Vajramuth’ rallies of the MVA were postponed due to hot summer conditions. And the decision had nothing to do with Pawar's resignation, he added.

Bhujbal bats for Supriya as NCP chief

Meanwhile, Chhagan Bhujbal said that he was of the view that Supriya Sule was ideal for a “national role”.

“She has been doing well as a parliamentarian. So there will be no problem on deciding the new president. Ajit Pawar should handle the responsibility of the state. The division of work is already there,” he said, and added that it was his personal view.

Bhujbal’s view is significant since it makes it clear that there is a section within the party that wants Sule, Pawar daughter, to lead the organisation.