Veteran politician Sharad Pawar said on Tuesday that he would no longer run for office after 24 years as the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and that he would resign from that position.
“It is vital to take a step back after this protracted period of my political career, which spanned from May 1, 1960, to May 1, 2023. Consequently, I have made the decision to resign from my position as the Nationalist Congress Party’s President, Pawar said following the publication of the second edition of his autobiography, “Lok Maze Sangati.” He said that he will continue to be active in politics, society, and culture. “I still have three years left on my Rajya Sabha term. I won’t run for office at this time, the seasoned leader said.
Sharad Pawar’s decision to resign as party president was backed by Ajit Pawar, his nephew. “Pawar Sahab himself had mentioned the need for a guard change a few days before. We should consider his choice in light of his age and state of health as well. Everyone must make decisions in accordance with the passage of time; Pawar Saheb has made a choice and won’t reverse it, according to Ajit Pawar.
Sharad Pawar suggested a committee made up of top NCP leaders to identify the best course of action in the interim. According to Ajit Pawar, the committee would also comprise the leaders of the party frontal cells as well as Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, P. C. Chacko, Narhari Zirwal, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujabl, Dilip Walse-Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, and Ajit Pawar.
Following his announcement, a number of NCP leaders and members could be seen yelling at Pawar to reverse his decision.
The NCP leader reflected on his political career, saying, “Since the Nationalist Congress Party was founded in 1999, I have had the distinction of being chosen as its President, which is now in its 24th year. Since May 1, 1960, I have been actively involved in public life, and I have continuously done so for the past 63 years. During this time, I have served Maharashtra and India in a variety of capacities.
“I still have three years left on my Rajya Sabha term. From now on, I won’t run for office. I will focus more on problems affecting the state and the nation during the next three years. I won’t accept any further obligations. My political career began on May 1st, 1960. May Day was observed yesterday. One must consider quitting someplace after such a drawn-out political career. Gluttony is not acceptable. After all these years, I will never adopt the stance of adhering to a perspective. Thus, you might experience unease. But I’ve made the decision to step down as NCP leader, Pawar continued.
The four-time chief minister of Maharashtra earlier held the positions of minister of defence and minister of agriculture in the administrations of P V Narsimha Rao and Manmohan Singh, respectively.
He served as both the founding and outgoing president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which was established in 1999 after a split with the Indian National Congress.
After the publication of his autobiography, Pawar stated that it was time for the party and the course it intended to take to be led by a new generation.
The NCP leader, however, said that even after leaving his position as party leader, he would not withdraw from public life.
“Even though I’m leaving my position as president, I’m still going to be active in society. My life has evolved to include frequent travel. I’ll keep going to public gatherings and events. I shall be accessible to all of you as normal, whether you are in Delhi, Mumbai, Baramati, Pune, or any other region in India. I’ll keep working around the clock to find solutions for the issues facing the populace, he said.
Many of Pawar’s party members were taken aback by his decision.
Praful Patel, a party lawmaker, stated, “We have asked Sharad Pawar ji to rescind the decision. I appeal to him to reverse the decision on our behalf. His leadership is necessary for the state and the nation.
Patel stated, “Repeating the same thing won’t solve any purpose and its meaningless,” in an effort to calm anxious party members. We senior officials will consult with Pawar Saheb.
