Sharad Pawar Has Agreed To Rethink Decision To Step Down, Will Take 2-3 Days To Decide: Ajit Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar has agreed to rethink his decision to step down as party chief.

Ajit has said Pawar has said he would take two-three days to reconsider his decision.

The development comes hours after NCP President Sharad Pawar announced that he is stepping down as party chief. Following his stepping down, a committee was supposed to decide on his successor. Pawar's announcement prompted protests by party workers and appeals by NCP leaders to revoke the decision.

Later, Pawar's nephew and NCP leader Ajit told media that he has agreed to rethink the decision in the wake of party leaders and workers not willing to see him leave the post.

"We told Sahab [Sharad Pawar] that workers are very upset, workers are saying that you stay as President and make someone Acting President who works with your blessing...After listening to everyone, Sahab asked me and Bhujbal Sahab and Rohit Pawar to go and talk to Supriya [Sule] and convey his message to workers to go home and that they would need to give him two-three days time over their demand that I should rethink my decision to resign," said Ajit in a video shared by ANI.

Pawar, 83, announced his decision to step down as NCP President at the launch of a revised version of his Marathi autobiography Lok Majhe Sangati (People Accompany Me), prompting protests by party workers and appeals by NCP leaders to revoke the decision.

Speaking at the book launch, Pawar said his political journey began on May 1, 1960, and has continued without a break for the past 63 years with him serving Maharashtra and India in various capacities.

"I have three years of Rajya Sabha membership left, during which I will focus on the issues related to Maharashtra and India, with a caveat of not accepting any responsibility (of party post). After a long period of public life from May 1, 1960, to May 1, 2023, it is necessary to take a step back. Hence, I have decided to step down as president of the Nationalist Congress Party," said Pawar.

Pawar has served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra four times and has served as the Defence and Union Agriculture Ministers as well earlier. Earlier, he was key to build the unlikely coalition of NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena under the banner of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra that was in power in the state during 2019-22 until it was toppled by Eknath Shinde's rebellion.

(With PTI inputs)