Sharad Pawar has announced that he is stepping down as the president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Announcing his decision, he said, “I have decided to stop working as the president of the NCP. I will continue working in the political, social and cultural life henceforth.”
Chaotic scenes unfolded during the launch of the second edition of Sharad Pawar’s autobiography, after the political heavyweight announced that he is stepping down as the president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and said that a committee of senior NC leaders would decide the future course of action.
NCP leaders and workers in the presence of Pawar raised slogans against his exit, and said that they will “not leave the hall until he withdraws his decision.” The leaders said, “We do not accept Saheb’s decision. We urge you to withdraw it. We will not move until you do it.” Some leaders were spotted to be in tears on stage.
“I have three years tenure remaining in Rajya Sabha. I will not contest elections henceforth. In these three years, I will more concentrate on issues concerned to state and the country. I will not take any additional responsibilities. I started my political career on May 1, 1960. Yesterday we celebrated May Day. After this prolonged political career, one must think about stopping somewhere. One must not be greedy. I will never take a position of sticking to a post after so many years. Therefore, you might feel uneasy. But I have decided to retire from the post of the NCP chief, ” Pawar said, at the launch of the second edition of his autobiography Lok Maze Sangati.
“In the last 60 years, all of you stood by me firmly. I cannot forget this. After the organizational decision is announced today, I suggest a committee of senior NCP leaders that will decide the future course of action as well as who will get what responsibility. The committee will include, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, P C Chacko, Narhari Zirwal, Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujabl, Dilip walse-Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Jaydev Gaikwad and chiefs of party frontal cells,” Pawar declared further.
NCP leaders and workers in the presence of Pawar raised slogans against his exit, and said that they will “not leave the hall until he withdraws his decision.”
Ajit Pawar approached the podium and stood behind Sharad Pawar, urging workers to go back to their seats, as chaotic scenes inside the continued. Pawar said, ‘Saheb has taken note of your (workers’) emotions. Pawar Saheb has said that the committee will decide a future course of action. We have taken note of your feelings. The committee will take the right decision and I assure you of that. ‘
