Sharad Pawar, the president of the NCP’s Sharad Chandra Pawar group, has cancelled all of his scheduled programs for the next four days due to health issues. The NCP has confirmed that Pawar is facing difficulty speaking due to phlegm, making it challenging for him to attend events and engage in public speeches. As a result, doctors have advised him to rest.
Pawar, who is 84 years old, had been touring Sangli and Kolhapur over the past two days. During these visits, he struggled to speak at various programs, which led to the decision to cancel his upcoming engagements. Despite this, Pawar’s health concerns come at a time when there are ongoing discussions about the future of the NCP following internal splits.
Two years ago, the NCP divided into two factions, with Ajit Pawar claiming the nationalist stance and Sharad Pawar separating his group. Since then, Ajit Pawar’s faction has gained significant strength, and there have been rumors of Sharad Pawar potentially joining the BJP. These developments have raised questions within the party about leadership succession, especially among workers who remain loyal to Sharad Pawar.
Sharad Pawar, despite challenges, has continued his efforts to rebuild the party, with the local body elections on the horizon. His focus is on strengthening the party’s presence in western Maharashtra, where he has historically been influential. However, the recent defeats in the assembly elections have led to concerns among party members about the future leadership and the possible dominance of the Ajit Pawar group if the NCP fails to perform well in the upcoming local elections.