NCP committee resolution rejects Pawar's resignation as party chief

MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party on Friday passed a resolution rejecting Sharad Pawar's resignation as party chief and has requested him to continue to lead the party that he founded.

According to sources, the decision was taken after a party's core committee met this morning to decide on the new national president of the NCP, following Sharad Pawar's decision to step down from the post.

NCP leaders Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule were seen arriving at the party office in Mumbai to attend the meeting. Several top leaders of the party will attend the meeting, which sources said will decide the future of Maharashtra politics and the NCP.

The 18-member committee that met today comprised Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, KK Sharma, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Jaidev Gaikwad, Narhari Jhirwal, Fauzia Khan, President, Nationalist Mahila Congress, Dheeraj Sharma, President Nationalist Youth Congress.

NCP workers were seen raising slogans in support of Sharad Pawar, urging him to reconsider his decision. Sharad Pawar had on Tuesday announced his resignation from the party president's post.

His nephew Ajit Pawar supported the former's decision saying that the next party chief will work under Sharad Pawar.

The statement was instantly met with emotional protests from party workers and leaders, who urged the veteran MP to reverse his decision.

NCP state president Jayant Patil had said that even though Sharad Pawar has taken the decision, people from across Maharashtra and other places people are requesting him to take back his decision.

"I have conveyed the message of party leaders and workers. All sections of Maharashtra have requested Pawar Saheb to take back his decision, at least for the next elections," Patil said yesterday.

The NCP State president said that several people have joined NCP because Sharad Pawar is the head of the party. "We have explained all this to Sharad Pawar. Therefore everyone is requesting Pawar Saheb to take back his decision."

After Pawar announced that he was quitting as NCP chief, some office bearers in the state said they would also quit their posts and asked the leader to reconsider his decision.