Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said that he wanted to give up the post of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and wants to work in the party organisation. “I have worked for many years in the party. I have worked on many posts. The post of Opposition leader is not what I had demanded. It was on insistence by party MLAs who signed on a letter that I chose the position. but now I want to give up the leader of Opposition post,” Ajit Pawar said. He was addressing the NCP’s foundation day programme at Shanmukhananda Hall, which was attended by NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders, “I request that I now want to work on a position in the party organisation. I assure you that I will give you best results and I will show you what I can do. I will accept any position that you will give me. But let me show you what I can do in organisation,” said Ajit Pawar. Ajit Pawar also narrated how despite being a powerful national player, the NCP did not manage to win Maharashtra single-handedly. Ajit Pawar’s remarks came more than a month after NCP chief Sharad Pawar had offered to resign from the party president’s post. He had withdrawn it after strong protests and demands from party workers and leaders. A month later, he announced Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule as party's national working presidents. Not commenting on Ajit’s demand, Sharad Pawar spoke on the need to have opposition unity and the importance of June 23 meeting of opposition parties in Patna. Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not inviting President Draupadi Murmu to the inauguration of new Parliament building, the NCP chief said, “The reason is, had she been invited, it would have been her name as per the protocol to inaugurate the Parliament instead of his (Modi). How can he allow other’s name?” Ajit Pawar’s unexpected demand came after he narrated how he was instrumental in the victory of many NCP MLAs in 2019 Assembly polls and took decisions without delay. “You all know how I work in Mantralaya. I end the matter with a yes or no. I did the same in 2019 Assembly polls,” said Pawar. “It has not happened because we are lacking somewhere. We must overcome our problems. It is now time to bring party to the power,” he said.
