‘Sharad Pawar's leadership important for Opposition unity’: Uddhav Thackeray faction leader Sanjay Raut
NCP on Friday passed a resolution rejecting Sharad Pawar's resignation as party president and has requested him to continue to lead the party that he founded
Hours after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) panel, selected by Sharad Pawar rejected his resignation, Uddhav Thackeray faction leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said that the veteran leader's leadership is important for the unity of opposition parties.
“Someone who since the day they entered politics has been working towards social and political welfare. That politician is only a true politician then… The committee that was set up to make a decision, they did not have any other solution That is why they went back to Pawar sahab and asked him to continue his leadership of the party", Raut said.
“All opposition party leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray ji, expressed their feelings to Sharad Pawar saying the country needs him. This kind of politics being played in the country, especially about the talk of opposition unity, would require a leader and politician like Pawar sahab”, he added.
Raut further said, "If Pawar sahab does not remain the chief of NCP, it would affect the party. If a big political party's leader, especially someone like Pawar sahab who is widely respected, does not remain chief of the party, it obviously affects the party.
Speaking about the role of central agencies in Pawar's resignation, Raut said, “All opposition leaders are under pressure. The Centre and central agencies want opposition parties to diminish and more opposition leaders to join the BJP party. This kind of pressure, I have heard, has been put on several NCP leaders along with Shiv Sena leaders.”
The NCP early on Friday passed a resolution rejecting Sharad Pawar's resignation as party president and has requested him to continue to lead the party that he founded, senior NCP Praful Patel said after the party's core committee meeting to choose its next chief.
The decision was taken days after Sharad Pawar dropped a bombshell saying he would step down from the post. Celebrations by NCP party workers erupted soon after senior Patel announced the committee's decision at a press conference.
“Mr Pawar expressed his desire to step down as president of the party. We unanimously reject the resignation. We have decided unanimously that we will request him to carry on as party president,” Patel said at the press conference.
