Committee to be formed to decide on successor

Mumbai: In a move that came as a surprise to many, veteran politician and a stalwart of Maharashtra politics, Sharad Pawar today stepped down as the Chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which he floated two decades ago.

Pawar, who helmed the party since its inception in 1999, said, “I have decided to step down as the President of the NCP” at the launch of the second edition of his autobiography ‘Lok Maze Sangati.’ His announcement was greeted by loud exclamations from the gathering.

He also stated that he would no longer contest elections, as after a decades-long career, one must think about stopping somewhere. “I have three years’ tenure remaining in Rajya Sabha. I will not contest elections henceforth. In these three years, I will concentrate more on issues concerning the State and the country. I will not take any additional responsibilities… One must not be greedy,” he said.

A Committee will be formed to decide who should be given the responsibility of the party Chief’s post, Pawar said. He said that the panel should have senior members including Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Jayant Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Chhagan Bhujbal and others.

Pawar, however, made it clear that he was not taking a backseat from politics. “My colleagues, even though I am stepping down from the post of President, I am not retiring from public life,” he said. After he wrapped up his speech, loyalists rushed on to the stage and asked him with folded hands to rethink his resignation.

Pawar’s decision comes against the backdrop of speculation over his nephew and former Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s next move, with a few claiming that he might join hands with the BJP. Ajit Pawar, however, has reiterated that he would stay in the NCP till his last moment. Incidentally, Ajit Pawar was sharing the dais with Sharad Pawar when the latter made his bombshell announcement.

Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar floated the NCP in 1999 after being expelled from the Congress for objecting to Italian-born Sonia Gandhi staking her claim to the post of Prime Minister.