Sharad Pawar Announces Decision to Step Down as NCP President: 'One Has to Stop Somewhere'

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has announced that he is stepping down from his post. “I have decided to step down as president of NCP,” Pawar made the announcement of his retirement during the release of his autobiography, “Lok Majhe Sangaayi – Political Autobiography”.

While addressing party worker, Pawar said a committee has been formed to decide who will take reins of the party and steer it forward. Senior party leaders like Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil and a few other will be a part of the committee. Supriya Sule, however, has not been named Pawar.

“I know when to stop… I have set up a committee of senior NCP leaders who will decide on the next president,” said Pawar, 82, flanked by his wife Pratibha.

However, the Rajya Sabha member with three more years to go, assured that he would remain active in public life through social-politics, as in the past over 55 years.

His announcement was greeted with shock, many bursting into tears and raising slogans in his support with many party activists appealing to Pawar to take back his decision as the country needs him. Party workers and leaders, however, demanded that Pawar withdraw his decision. They threatened not to leave the venue unless he rescind his decision.

Sharad Pawar’s sudden decision of stepping down as NCP chief has left top party leaders shocked. While some said Pawar took the decision unilaterally and did not consult them, others tried to pacify party workers.

Top NCP leader, Ajit Pawar, while speaking to the media, said that NCP Chief Pawar’s resignation as President doesn’t mean he is quitting politics. He added that NCP Chief Pawar wanted to announce this decision on May 1 but he could not since there was a MVA rally.  “We expected this day will come some day,” said Ajit.

“In Congress party, Sonia ji is still leader but she doesn’t hold the post. We have to consider his age. All functions will happen under his leadership only,” added Ajit Pawar.

In a tweet, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut stressed that Pawar may have too take his decision back after public outrage just like Balasaheb Thackeray had once done before.

“Fed up by dirty Politics and allegations, Shiv Sena Supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, too, had resigned as the Shivsena Pramukh. History seems to have repeated itself… but owing to the love of Shiv sainiks he had to withdraw his decision… like Balasaheb, Pawar Saheb, too, is the soul of the State’s politics,” Raut tweeted on Tuesday.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole also reacted to Pawar’s sudden reaction. “We thought Sharad Pawar will remain in public life till his last breath but we can’t tell why he resigned today. It will not impact Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). We hope the new president of NCP will stay with MVA,” said Patole.

A four-time Maharashtra chief minister, who served as Union Defence and Agriculture minister, Pawar was instrumental in stitching together an unlikely coalition of the NCP, Congress and then ideologically opposite Shiv Sena to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Sharad Pawar formed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 1999 after separating from the Congress. Congress had in 1999 expelled three dissident leaders, one of which was Sharad Pawar, for opposing Sonia Gandhi’s candidacy for Prime Minister because she was born in Italy.

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