Pawar-ful Messages from the ‘Boss’ Move: The Impact of the Resignation Saga on the NCP

The committee formed by Sharad Pawar, after announcing his retirement as the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has rejected his resignation in its first meeting which lasted 40 minutes on Friday.

Praful Patel, the convener of this meeting, told the media: “We have passed a resolution unanimously to reject the resignation of Pawar and we will request him to continue as the National President of the Party."

At 11 am, the 18-member committee formed by Pawar met at the NCP headquarters in Mumbai to discuss the crisis post the resignation.

On Thursday, Sharad Pawar had met the protesting party workers at Y B Chavan Centre and tried to pacify them. While interacting with them, he also said that he needs time to rethink his decision, but will accept the decision of the committee.

According to highly placed sources in the party, Pawar has killed two birds in one stone with his resignation move.

DIRECT, INDIRECT MESSAGES

With this resignation saga, Pawar has showed party leaders, who are still keen on joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that he has majority by his side in the party, said sources.

Moreover, he has also sent a direct message to the BJP that he is the boss and without his approval, party leaders won’t do anything.

The group of leaders, who was in touch with the BJP and were trying convince Pawar that the NCP should join hands with the BJP, has got the message that if they go against Pawar, they may have to face public heat during the upcoming general and assembly elections.

‘NATIONAL ISSUE’

Pawar’s resignation was not only restricted to his party, but also became the national issue due to his stature in national politics.

Leader from other regional and national parties such as MK Stalin, Sitaram Yechuri, Farooq Abdullah and Rahul Gandhi expressed concerns regarding the resignation.

On the national front, Pawar is trying to get all small parties together against the BJP and if he doesn’t stay the National President of his party, the idea of uniting all parties may not work. So, the national leaders urged him to take his resignation back.

Sanjay Jog, senior journalist and political analyst, said, “National leaders across all like-minded parties conveyed to Pawar that he is the mobiliser of united opposition and hence should continue. Moreover, the committee which was formed by Pawar had to take the cognisance of widespread agitations by party workers and couldn’t find any alternative to lead the party in the run-up to the 2024 general and state elections."

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