Sharad Pawar resigns as NCP chief: Hard for cadre to accept, says leader; guidance crucial as Opposition is uniting, says MVA

There is a deadlock for now as party leaders have appealed to Pawar to withdraw the decision, but the veteran leader has given no signal of accepting their demand. “I personally told him he should suspend the decision, but he merely smiled,” Gaikwad said.

Gaikwad said he has been made part of the panel that will decide on the party chief. He said only once matters are settled will the meeting to decide upon the new president will take place.

On the possibility of Pawar leading the party from behind the lines, akin to the way Sena supremo Bal Thackeray led the Sena, Gaikwad said, “The situation in NCP is different from that of Sena, Pawar saheb has always led from the front.” The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday adopted a “wait and watch” policy on developments in NCP after Pawar’s announcement, exercising utmost caution in commenting.

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said, “It seems to be his personal decision. It is highly inappropriate for me to comment on these developments.”

As per sources in BJP, the possibility of Pawar testing waters to see how workers react to change of guard too cannot be ruled out. They said he could be conveying a message to someone within the party (read Ajit Pawar) who may be re-asserting his leadership.

In the Congress, many expressed consternation, saying Pawar should not step down at a time when Opposition parties across the country have united against BJP to ‘save democracy”.

Ashok Chavan, senior Congress leader and ex-CM of Maharashtra, said, “At this juncture when Opposition is uniting, we hope he will be convinced to lead the party.”

Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut said Pawar’s decision will make no difference in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance and the veteran would remain the decision maker. “Such leaders never retire from public life. Stepping down doesn’t mean retiring. It won’t be right for Sena to speak about NCP’s internal matter,” Raut said.

Sanjay Shirsat, Shinde-led Sena MLA and spokesperson, said they “know there are restrictions of age but his presence itself matters a great deal.”