Succession plan, NCP’s future: The planning behind Sharad Pawar’s resignation

By Sahil Joshi: Sharad Pawar’s resignation as NCP president came as a shock to many party leaders, including senior leaders Praful Patel and Jayant Patil, who usually take part in the party’s highest decision-making process. However, the way Pawar announced this shows that the veteran politician made his decision after a lot of deliberation.

His wife, Pratibha Pawar, was on stage when he made the announcement at an event in Mumbai on Tuesday. His speech was written by his daughter and NCP leader Supriya Sule and her husband, Sadanand Bhalchandra Sule, who knew of his father-in-law’s decision.

Just days before Pawar announced his resignation, Supriya Sule said two “earthquakes will occur in Delhi and Maharashtra” within the next 15 days. Sharad Pawar resigned on the 13th day after Supriya’s statement.

Pawar himself had also hinted at his resignation in a cryptic remark made a few days earlier. While addressing the party’s youth wing, Sharad Pawar said, “Someone told me that roti has to be turned at the right time. If not turned, it becomes bitter.”

To prevent any future rifts between the two leaders, Sharad Pawar also took his nephew Ajit Pawar into confidence about his decision.

ALSO READ | By quitting as NCP chief, is Sharad Pawar showing nephew Ajit who’s the boss?

ROAD TO RESIGNATION

The weeks before he announced his resignation, Sharad Pawar was busy making headlines with his “unexpected” stances on issues concerning other Opposition parties.

He backed industrialist Gautam Adani and dismissed the Opposition‘s campaign for a parliamentary probe into the Adani Group over a report by US short-seller Hindenburg Research. Later, the two met at Adani’s residence which lasted nearly two hours.

Sharad Pawar also chided Uddhav Thackeray after the Sena leader resigned from his post as Maharashtra chief minister following Eknath Shinde’s coup. Pawar criticised Uddhav for taking the decision without consulting him and his allies, a decision that ended the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

The founder of the NCP also took an open stand against his party MLAs who were building pressure to join hands with the BJP. He made it clear that he did not wish to form an alliance with his long-time nemesis.

After Sharad Pawar announced his resignation, some party leaders told him that he should have discussed his decision with a few of them. To this, Pawar replied that they would have tried to stop him had they known about his wish to step down.

ALSO READ | Take back your decision: NCP worker writes letter in blood to Sharad Pawar

SHARAD PAWAR STILL PART OF NCP’S FUTURE?

While announcing his resignation, Sharad Pawar also declared that a committee has been formed that will decide the next party chief. He has a succession plan in mind and wishes to see it in action while he is still active in politics.

Sharad Pawar’s succession plan has positioned his daughter, Supriya Sule, as the party’s next president, while Ajit Pawar will remain the primary decision-maker in Maharashtra.

To prepare for his decisions in the future, Sharad Pawar in his resignation speech said he will continue working on the issues of Maharashtra and India but “with a caveat of not taking any responsibility“. This indicates that if the NCP does go the BJP way in line with Ajit Pawar’s supposed wishes, Sharad Pawar might come out in disagreement with his nephew’s decision.

ALSO READ | Sharad Pawar needs 2-3 days to rethink resignation: Ajit Pawar asks NCP workers to end protest