Live — He Needs A Few Hours: Praful Patel After Conveing Core Panel's Decision To Sharad Pawar
NCP meeting to elect new party chief: Follow live updates from the crucial meeting of the NCP to elect the next party president after Sharad Pawar.
Praful Patel and other leaders met Sharad Pawar at his residence and conveyed to him the party core committee's decision. The panel has rejected Pawar's resignation as party president and has urged him to take charge again.
"Pawar is our leader he will decide. We've given him a few hours. He is such a big leader, he should be given time, after that he will tell you the decision he will take. We told Sharad Pawar what we had to say, he needs a few hours," he added.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar arrives at the residence of party chief Sharad Pawar.
Praful Patel, Jayant Patil, Hasan Mushrif reached Sharad Pawar's official residence to inform him about the decision of the core committee. Chhagan Bhujbal, Jitendra Awhad and Supriya Sule have also reached.
The leaders will give the report of the meeting to Pawar and will persuade him to take charge as the party president again.
NCP workers celebrate outside the party office in Mumbai after Core Committee rejects Sharad Pawar's resignation.
"The panel requested Sharad Pawar not to resign at the moment, he should stay till the Parliament elections. the committee also passed a resolution stating that Sharad Pawar will be continuing for the party chief post. He might have taken this decision to give a chance to new faces but we have requested him to stay on his post," NCP leader Jayant Patil on party's Core Committee meeting.
Praful Patel said, "You are a strong leader of the country, you had proposed that a new president should be elected, but the party has asked him to continue in his post."
"Country's leader Sharad Pawar ji had resigned from the post of President which is rejected by one vote and we request him to continue in the post and fulfill his responsibility. We have taken these decisions," he added.
Praful Patel, Vice President, Nationalist Congress Party said in a press conference, "Sharad Pawar ji suddenly announced his resignation on 2 May. He appointed a committee of party leaders for further course of action and to elect a new president. Today we held a committee meeting."
"Pawar saheb took the decision without informing us. Considering all the demands of the party workers and the leader, we held a meeting today and the committee unanimously passed a resolution. The committee unanimously rejects this resignation and we request him to continue as party president," he added.
Praful Patel addresses press conference on NCP meeting on party chief issue after Sharad Pawar's resignation.
An NCP worker tried pouring kerosene on himself outside the party office.
The core committee rejects Sharad Pawar's resignation. Praful Patel proposes to make Pawar party President again.
NCP leader Praful Patel will shortly address a press conference.
In the Core Committee meeting today, Praful Patel will propose a resolution to reject the resignation of Sharad Pawar and will request him to take back his decision: Clyde Crasto, National Spokesperson, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
NCP's Core Committee meeting underway in Mumbai after party chief Sharad Pawar announced his resignation from the post.
NCP leader and MP Supriya Sule arrives at the party office in Mumbai. NCP is to hold a core committee meeting today after party chief Sharad Pawar announced his resignation from the post.
Nana Patole, Maharashtra Congress President reacts to NCP meeting in Mumbai. He says, "This is their party's internal matter, they will take a decision."
NCP leader Ajit Pawar arrives at the party office in Mumbai for meeting to decide on next party chief.
Ahead of today's meeting, NCP workers raised slogans in support of Sharad Pawar, outside the party office in Mumbai. Sharad Pawar announced his resignation from the post of party chief on May 2.
Background
A crucial meeting of the NCP will be held today at 11 am to decide the next party president after Sharad Pawar quit the post in a surprise move this week. NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Taapsee said the committee set up to choose Sharad Pawar's successor would meet at YB Chavan Hall at 11 am to deliberate on the issue. Party sources told ABP News that a proposal might be floated to re-elect Sharad Pawar as president. There has been hectic preparation to bring this proposal to consensus.
NCP leaders, on condition of anonymity, told PTI that Baramati Lok Sabha MP and Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule is likely to be the party's national chief while Ajit Pawar will take charge of the Maharashtra unit. The leaders have stressed that asserted Sule, a three-term Lok Sabha MP, had established herself as an effective parliamentarian and has good relations with leaders of parties across the political spectrum.
On the other hand, Ajit Pawar has good hold over the state unit and is widely acknowledged as an able administrator, PTI reported.
On Thursday, Sharad Pawar met protesting party workers who have demanded that he reconsider his decision. Pawar said his decision to step down from the post was taken for the future of the party and to create a new leadership.
"I respect your sentiments. I should have discussed my plans with all of you and taken you into confidence. But I know you wouldn't have allowed me to take the decision (of stepping down as party chief)," the former Union minister told his supporters.
On Tuesday, Pawar said he was stepping down as the chief of NCP, the political outfit he founded and helmed since 1999.
"I have three years of Rajya Sabha membership left, during which I will focus on the issues related to Maharashtra and India, with a caveat of not accepting any responsibility (of party post). After a long period of public life from May 1, 1960, to May 1, 2023, it is necessary to take a step back. Hence, I have decided to step down as president of the Nationalist Congress Party," Pawar said.
The development came amid rumours about Ajit Pawar drifting towards the BJP. Speculation of Ajit Pawar jumping ship intensified when he skipped a meeting of NCP's Mumbai unit last month.
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