NCP Panel Set Up by Sharad Pawar to Meet on May 5 to Select Next Party President

GG News Bureau

Mumbai, 4th May. A committee formed by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar to select his successor will meet on Friday, said a senior NCP leader.

The meeting will begin at 11 a.m. in the party’s office in south Mumbai, according to the leader.

Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, his nephew Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, and Chhagan Bhujbal are among the committee members.

Pawar announced on Tuesday that he is stepping down as chief of the NCP, which he formed and led since 1999, but is not retiring from public life.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin spoke to Sule over phone to enquire about developments in the NCP after Sharad Pawar’s announcement to quit as its chief, according to party sources.

Political conjecture is rife about whether the future NCP president will be from the Pawar family — daughter Supriya Sule or nephew Ajit Pawar – or another party leader.

Sharad Pawar’s decision has been called into question by NCP workers and party leaders.

According to Ajit Pawar, his uncle will require two to three days to “think over” his decision.

NCP’s national vice president Praful Patel on Wednesday said Sharad Pawar has not relented despite repeated appeals from party leaders and supporters that he withdraw his decision to step down, The party committee, which Sharad Pawar himself set up on Tuesday to decide on his successor, did not meet on Wednesday, he said.

“If the situation arises, the committee will decide on Pawar’s successor and the decision will be unanimous. He sought time to think over his decision after the party asked him to reconsider it, and till the final decision is arrived at, there is no question of deliberating on his successor,” Patel said.

On speculation about Supriya Sule emerging as the choice for NCP’s national president and Ajit Pawar as the Maharashtra unit chief, Patel said, “There is no vacancy. Whether Sharad Pawar remains president or not, he is the party’s identity and soul.” The party was trying to persuade Sharad Pawar to reconsider his decision, he said.