Ncp: Succession, Episode 1? All eyes on NCP meet today | India News

MUMBAI: All eyes in Maharashtra’s politics will be on the Friday meeting of the party committee set up by Sharad Pawar to decide on the election of the new NCP president. The panel will meet at NCP’s headquarters in south Mumbai at 11 am amid indications that Pawar is inclined to stick to his decision to quit as party chief.
While Pawar’s daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule is the frontrunner for the top post, state NCP president Jayant Patil said on Thursday that Pawar should at least continue till the civic, Lok Sabha and assembly elections as the party needs his leadership for taking on the BJP. Sharad Pawar, who had agreed to do a rethink, said on Thursday that he will decide in a day or two.

The committee comprises Praful Patel, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule, Sunil Tatkare, K K Sharma, P C Chako, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde and Fauzia Khan.
Senior NCP leaders are in the dark about the procedure to be adopted at the meeting. According to reports, it is possible that a senior NCP leader will propose the name of the president and another will second it. The president’s name will be ratified at the national-level convention of the NCP, whenever it takes place.

“The committee will decide on the president’s selection, continue to strive for the growth of the party organization, take the ideology and goals of the party to the people and serve the people,” Pawar had said.For the third consecutive day after he announced his resignation at the same function, hundreds of NCP workers staged day-long demonstrations in the city urging him to reconsider his decision.
On Thursday, Pawar also unexpectedly had a brief interaction with the agitating party workers, saying he will take a decision on his resignation in a day or two.
A senior NCP leader said Pawar’s statement before the party workers did not make it clear whether he would resign or stay on. “Pawar himself has formed a committee to search for the new NCP president. On the other hand, he says he has taken cognizance of their (workers’) sentiments and that he will take such a decision that the agitating workers will not be required to reach Y B Chavan Centre. The statement is confusing,” the NCP leader said.