Sharad Pawar, the head of the Nationalist Congress Party, appointed a committee to choose his successor, and the group will convene on Friday, a top NCP official said on Thursday. The leader announced that the meeting will start at 11 a.m. at the party headquarters in south Mumbai. At the Tuesday launch of his autobiography, President Sharad Pawar declared his resignation as the leader of the party.
Supriya Sule, a daughter of Sharad Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, and Chhagan Bhujbal are among the committee members. On Tuesday, Pawar landed a bombshell by announcing that he will no longer be serving as the leader of the NCP, which he formed and has led since 1999.
According to party insiders, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin called Sule to inquire about the NCP’s progress after Sharad Pawar’s declaration that he would step down as its leader.
Political circles are buzzing with rumours about the potential candidates for the position of NCP president, including daughter Supriya Sule and nephew Ajit Pawar. NCP members and party officials have urged Sharad Pawar to change his mind. On Tuesday, Ajit Pawar said that his uncle will need two to three days to “think over” his choice.
Praful Patel, the national vice president of the NCP, said on Wednesday that Sharad Pawar has not changed his mind despite several requests for him to do so from party officials and backers. He said that the party committee that Sharad Pawar himself appointed on Tuesday to choose his successor did not convene on Wednesday.
If the need arises, the committee will choose Pawar’s replacement, and the choice will be made unanimously. There is no notion of considering his successor till the final decision has been made, Patel said. He requested for time to examine his choice after the party urged him to rethink it.
Regarding rumours that Ajit Pawar would take over as Maharashtra unit leader and Supriya Sule would become the NCP’s national president, Patel stated, “There is no vacancy. Sharad Pawar is the party’s essence and spirit, whether he serves as president or not. Sharad Pawar said that the party was attempting to get him to change his mind.