The sudden announcement of Sharad Pawar’s resignation as NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) chief left his party members and political allies in Maharashtra, including Uddhav Thackeray and Congress, surprised. However, sources suggest that Pawar may appoint a working president and continue to lead the party.
After the announcement, there was a dramatic show of distress within the party, and many leaders expressed their emotions on the stage, urging Pawar to reconsider his decision. His nephew and political heir Ajit Pawar, who has recently sparked speculation of splitting the party and joining hands with the BJP, was the only leader who appeared to accept the decision and talk about the future.
Ajit Pawar pointed out that Sharad Pawar had talked about the necessity for a change of guard a few days back and that everyone has to take a decision according to time. He assured party members that the next president would work under Sharad Pawar’s guidance.
As Pawar’s resignation continues to make headlines, sources speculate about the possibility of a working president being appointed, with Pawar continuing to hold a significant role in the party’s leadership.
Later in the day, Ajit Pawar received another message from his uncle Sharad Pawar. The message conveyed that due to the overwhelming support and emotions from the party workers, Sharad Pawar would rethink his decision to resign. However, he needed two to three days to give it further thought, but only if the workers returned home and stopped resigning from party posts.
Sources speculate that Sharad Pawar could appoint a working president and continue to hold the position of the chief of the party. This sudden move by Sharad Pawar has once again demonstrated that he has complete control over the party, a message that needed to be conveyed at a time when there were rumors about his nephew attempting to orchestrate defections.
Sharad Pawar’s resignation, which was announced on camera, received an outpouring of support from his party MLAs. However, the impact of an NCP shake-up will extend beyond the party to the alliance that Pawar had formed in 2019 with ideologically diverse partners, including Uddhav Thackeray’s coalition government.
Last year, Uddhav Thackeray lost power after a coup in his party led by Eknath Shinde, who then joined hands with the BJP. This opposition coalition is now on shakier ground, completely dependent on Mr. Pawar, who has been the glue holding it together.
Sharad Pawar, a veteran of many coalitions and one of India’s most astute politicians, has been instrumental in opposition unity attempts ahead of the 2024 national elections. The outcome of the NCP crisis could potentially have a much bigger impact on national politics.