Sharad Pawar appoints Praful Patel, Supriya Sule as NCP working presidents

Less than a year before the Maharashtra state elections, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar today appointed senior party leader Praful Patel and Supriya Sule as working presidents of the party.

Pawar made the announcement at the 25th anniversary of the party.

Sule has also become the chairperson of the party's central election authority and the in-charge of Maharashtra, Haryana Punjab as well as the party's women, youth and students wings. The central election authority plays a key role in deciding on candidates for various polls.


The announcement was made in the presence of Ajit Pawar, a key player in the NCP.

This comes after Pawar last month offered to resign from the presidency, followed by fervent remonstrations from party members as well as other political leaders.

An NCP panel formed to deliberate on Pawar's offer rejected his resignation on May 5 and urged him to continue as the party president.

"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 (NCP)," Pawar had said while offering to resign.

The NCP chief had said he intends to do more in the fields of education, agriculture, cooperation, sports, and culture, amongst others, and also pay attention to issues related to the youth, students, workers, Dalits, tribals, and other weaker sections of society.

Meanwhile, the NCP said that Pawar also received a "death threat" on social media on Friday.

A delegation of NCP workers led by Pawar’s daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule met Mumbai police chief Vivek Phansalkar demanding action.

The NCP leaders told the police that 82-year-old Pawar received a message on Facebook that read "he will meet the same fate as (Narendra) Dabholkar soon".

NCP was founded by Pawar and PA Sangma in 1999.