Sharad unrelenting, NCP panel meets today on succession plan
Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, May 4
Supriya Sule, a three-time Lok Sabha member from Baramati, leads the race for the next chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) should her father and incumbent party president Sharad Pawar, having announced his resignation, step down formally.
Unrelenting, the 82-year old Maratha strongman on Thursday told the party cadre in Mumbai that his decision sought to pave the way for a new leadership. He said he should have consulted workers, but did not do so because he knew they would have never agreed with his decision to step down.
“I will take the final decision in a day or two,” the former Union Minister said.
Meanwhile, the committee Pawar constituted earlier to finalise the NCP succession plan will meet on Friday amid indications that the panel would propose Pawar to stay or at least accept a lifelong mentoring role. Supriya remains the favourite to lead the NCP should her father resign.
Committee member and NCP vice-president Praful Patel today said there was no vacancy at the top as of now, but if a decision was required to be taken “it would be a unanimous one”.
As for Pawar’s nephew Ajit, his role would probably remain limited to Maharashtra and he could be the party’s CM face later.
The committee featuring Pawar loyalists is expected to carry the veteran’s wishes in finalising the transition.
A change of guard in the NCP could prevent any potential split for now by isolating Ajit, widely seen as a leader of the pro-BJP camp within the party. But Ajit’s moves would continue to be watched to see how he reacts to formal moves at isolating him.
Opposition sources say Ajit would be hard to tame. “Maharashtra’s political course would depend on the outcome of the pending case in which the Supreme Court is to decide whether the revolt led by Eknath Shinde tantamount to defection. A five-judge Constitution Bench is to rule on whether the House Speaker can disqualify members despite the members sending him a notice of removal,” a senior Congress leader said.
If the ruling disfavours Shinde, he would have to resign as CM. That is when Ajit Pawar could resurface in the game. But the question is whether NCP MLAs will follow Ajit’s lead. For now, Pawar appears to have halted his nephew in the tracks but as the famous Harold Wilson quote goes, “A week is a long time in politics.”
Supriya in race for top post
- Supriya Sule favourite to lead the NCP should her father Sharad Pawar step down formally
- As for Pawar’s nephew Ajit, his role could be limited to Maharashtra but his next moves will be keenly watched
