Inside Details of NCP meet: No discussion on new chief, leaders ask Pawar to continue

A day after senior leader Sharad Pawar resigned as NCP chief, a closed-door NCP Committee meeting was held at YB Chavan on Wednesday under the guidance of Sharad Pawar. Notably, Sharad Pawar has set up an 18-member committee of NCP leaders to select his successor.

'Party leaders insisted Pawar to continue as party president,' says NCP leader

Speaking to Republic, NCP Leader Chhagan Bhujbal said, "District presidents across Maharashtra came to meet Sharad Pawar today and. Party workers tried to convince Pawar to take his resignation."

He asserted that at present there is no discussion about newcomers or the new party president and the Committee meeting would take place tomorrow.

Addressing the media, NCP leader Anil Patil said, "A committee has been constituted. There was only one discussion that Sharad Pawar should continue as party president. The committee will take a decision." 

Jitendra Awhad, who resigned from the post of NCP general secretary earlier in the day, said that Sharad Pawar should take back his decision and he should listen to NCP workers. He said that no one wants Pawar to resign. 

Meanwhile, NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase asserted that the committee meeting did not take place today. "No name has been finalized yet, the committee meeting would happen tomorrow."

Sharad Pawar Forms 18-member Committee To Select His Successor

On Wednesday, Republic TV accessed the names of 18 committee members who will actively take part in selecting Sharad Pawar's replacement in the party. It is significant to mention that the committee formed by Sharad Pawar will include his nephew Ajit Pawar, daughter Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, Dilip Walse Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Praful Patel, Jaydev Gaikwad, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Whad, Hassan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Sunil Tatkare, Fauzia Khan, K K Sharma,  Dheeraj Sharma, P C Chacko, and Sonia Duhan.

According to the sources, the committee will decide on the next party chief from the names recommended by Sharad Pawar himself. Sharad Pawar said, "I am resigning from the post of the national president of NCP. It’s time for a new generation to guide the party and the direction it intends to take,” adding that a committee will be formed to decide who should be given the responsibility of the NCP chief's post.

Ajit Pawar to head NCP in Maharashtra, Supriya Sule at Centre: Sources

Amid the rising speculations over the new NCP chief, sources informed that the party leaders suggested that if Sharad Pawar will not reconsider his decision, then the state responsibility should be given to Ajit Pawar, while the responsibilities related to the Centre should be given to Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule.