Veteran politician Sharad Pawar on Tuesday resigned as president of the Nationalist Congress Party. He held the post since the party was formed in 1999.
“I have three years tenure remaining in Rajya Sabha, I will not contest elections henceforth,” Pawar announced on Tuesday at the book launch event of the second edition of his autobiography Lok Maze Sangati, reported The Indian Express. “In these three years, I will more concentrate on issues concerned to state and the country. I will not take any additional responsibilities.”
Following his announcement, party workers and leaders demanded that Pawar withdraw his decision. They threatened not to leave the venue of the book launch unless he rescinds his decision, PTI reported.
There has been no announcement on who will succeed Pawar as the Nationalist Congress Party chief.
However, the 82-year-old leader recommended a committee of senior leaders to take over his responsibilities. The committee includes his daughter Supriya Sule, nephew Ajit Pawar and senior leaders Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil and Anil Deshmukh among others.
Patel told reporters that he did not take party leaders into confidence before announcing the decision.
In Mumbai, Nationalist Congress Party workers held protests urging Sharad Pawar to remain the party’s president. Sule and Ajit Pawar held talks with some of the protestors.
“None of the Nationalist Congress Party members were happy with his [Sharad Pawar’s] announcement,” Ajit Pawar told reporters on Tuesday, reported ANI. “After he went home we requested him to continue to remain president and delegate another party leader to work as acting president.”
He said that Sharad Pawar has asked protesting party members to go back home and give him two-three days to rethink his decision. Sharad Pawar has also urged legislators and party presidents of various districts to stop resigning from their posts as a mark of protest, Ajit Pawar said, reported ANI.
Commenting on the announcement, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the decision was an internal matter of the Nationalist Congress Party, ANI reported.
“He is a senior leader and he has decided something,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said. “Brainstorming over several issues is going on within his party. So, it will not be right for us to react on this. We will keep an eye on the situation and react after a day or two.”
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