"Not right time to step aside": NCP chief Pawar stresses on oppn unity, day after withdrawing resignation

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 6 : A day after withdrawing his decision to resign as the Nationalist Congress Party chief, Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that the u-turn was due to requests from "national-level leaders" and that it was not the right time to step aside.
"I didn't realise that my party would react so strongly to my resignation. Many national-level leaders also requested me to take my decision back. General elections are due within a year. So, it will not be right to step aside. We are working on uniting the opposition," NCP chief Sharad Pawar said.
Earlier on Friday, Pawar said he is withdrawing his resignation as NCP chief.
The key opposition leader, Sharad Pawar is expected to continue his efforts to bring opposition parties together for the 2024 Lok Sabha battle.
Apart from his party workers, some opposition leaders including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had also urged Pawar to reconsider his decision due to his role in forging opposition unity.
Sharad Pawar, known for making deft political moves, told the media that he was respecting the wishes of NCP workers.
"Because of your love and respect, I am taking back my decision to step down as party chief. I can't disrespect your sentiments. Due to your love, I am respecting the demand that was made to me to withdraw my resignation and the resolution that was passed by senior NCP leaders. I withdraw my decision to step down as the national president of Nationalist Congress Party," Sharad Pawar had said.
"After my 63 years of public life, I felt I was relieved from my post, but after this, there was a strong reaction from the workers of NCP...office bearers expressed sadness over this decision and urged me to reconsider. Innumerable well-wishers, all of them called me, my party colleagues from all over the country and especially from Maharashtra and others urged me to take over the responsibility of the post of president again," he added.
Earlier, Nationalist Congress Party passed a resolution rejecting Pawar's resignation as party chief and has requested him to continue to lead the party that he founded.
The decision was taken after the party's core committee met in the morning.
NCP workers were seen raising slogans in support of Sharad Pawar, urging him to reconsider his decision.
Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar was not present at the press conference but the NCP chief said no meaning should be read into it.
"Others are here. Committee took this decision and after their decision, I took my decision back. All are united and discussed this. Senior leaders are there in the committee," Sharad Pawar said.
"Everyone can't be present in one press conference. Some of the people are here and some others are not. But this morning, senior leaders of the party, took a decision unanimously and made me aware of it. Everyone expressed their sentiments through that decision. So, raising a question as to who is present here and who isn't or looking for meaning into this, is not correct," he added.
Sharad Pawar also refuted speculations of a rift in the NCP. "If someone wants to go, irrespective of the party, no one stops him....The leader should take care of how to make the organization healthy by being on the front foot," he said.
Sharad Pawar said there were suggestions that he remains in the post and appoints his daughter and party MP Supriya Sule as working president.
He said the suggestion was not accepted and did not find favour with Supriya Sule as well.
Ajit Pawar also later welcomed Sharad Pawar's decision to withdraw his resignation from the post of party president.
A statement from Ajit Pawar's office said the decision of the NCP chief will boost the enthusiasm of every party worker.
"Sharad Pawar's decision to continue as National President of NCP by agreeing to the request of all party leaders and workers across the state and country will boost the enthusiasm of every worker of NCP including me," he said.
He said Sharad Pawar had agreed to the request of workers and it was the responsibility of party workers to take care of his health.