NCP to consult Ajit Pawar family on leadership posts: Praful Patel

NCP working president Praful Patel said there is no opposition to Sunetra Pawar becoming leader of the party’s legislature wing, but the family’s consent will be sought. The party is currently finalising leadership changes after Ajit Pawar’s death

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party working president Praful Patel on Friday said there is no opposition to late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar becoming the new leader of the NCP legislature wing, but the family’s consent will be taken before filling the key post.

He said the priority at present is to fill the vacant posts of Deputy Chief Minister and NCP legislature party leader, both held by Ajit Pawar at the time of his death. Patel added that appointing a leader to the top organisational post, which Ajit Pawar also held as party president, is not an immediate concern.

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Talking to reporters here, Patel said party leaders met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to inform him that the NCP, a key constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, is in the process of finalising its leadership transition.

“Ajit Pawar was the leader of the NCP legislature party and an important functionary of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. We are in the process of finalising the leadership transition,” he said.

Patel insisted there was no question of opposing Sunetra Pawar’s name to replace Ajit Pawar as the NCP legislature party leader.

Sunetra Pawar is currently a Rajya Sabha MP and is not a member of either House of the state legislature. However, the Baramati Assembly seat in Pune district has fallen vacant following Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash on Wednesday.

“Sentiments of the people and the party are the same. We have to speak to the family over key appointments and seek their approval first,” the former Union minister said.