New Delhi: Barely three days after resigning from his post, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Friday announced withdrawal of his resignation. He said he is no longer stepping down.
“I’m taking my decision back,” he announced at a press conference.
The party unanimously rejected his resignation and asked him to continue in his post.
The decision, taken along expected lines, was taken at a meeting of the special panel set up by Pawar to name his successor following the dramatic May 2 announcement to step down.
The committee also resolved that it was unable to elect another President in Pawar’s place and that it requested him to continue until his term ended. It further indicated that the party was fully united under him vis-Ã -vis recent speculation of a possible split.
NCP Vice-President Praful M Patel, the convenor of the said committee, while addressing a media conference said that the panel’s decision on two resolutions — first rejecting Pawar’s resignation and the other urging him to continue as party chief — shall be conveyed to the senior leader for his final call in the matter.
The resolutions as per Patil were passed in tune with everybody’s expectations. A team of senior leaders will now meet Pawar and convey the resolutions to him.
As per IANS, the official decision once announced was met with thunderous applause, cheers, and even tears of relief. Party rank-and-file gathered outside the NCP headquarters reportedly broke into song and dance.
Patel said that the entire party made its sentiments clear on Pawar’s decision to quit and that the views were “again” put forth at the committee meeting.
This comes as in the past four days, Pawar’s nephew, Ajit Pawar, adopted a differing line and he batted at electing a new party chief.
However, Ajit Pawar is yet to comment on the fresh development and as per reports, he is likely to meet 83-year-old Sharad Pawar later in the day.
Ever since Pawar dropped his bombshell on the national political horizon, the NCP has been in turmoil with protests, hunger strikes, appeals and letters written in blood, a flood of lower-level resignations, and more, all to get him to undo his move.
