Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel said Sharad Pawar remains the party chief till he reconsiders his decision to step down from the post, and there would be no discussions to pick his successor till then.
Patel, who is the NCP’s national vice president, also said he himself was not in the running for the top post. The committee, which Pawar himself set up on Tuesday to decide on his successor, did not meet on Wednesday, he said.
If the situation arises, the committee will decide on Pawar’s successor and the decision will be unanimous. There is no vacancy, he said, adding, whether Pawar remains president or not, he is the party’s identity and soul.
NCP leader was reacting to speculation about Supriya Sule emerging as the choice for national president and Ajit Pawar as the Maharashtra unit chief. Some reports also suggested that Patel could succeed Pawar.
The party was trying to persuade Pawar to reconsider his decision, Patel said. Party workers should have patience and stop resigning from their posts en masse (in protest against Pawar’s decision), he said.