Sunetra Pawar likely to be elected NCP chief days after husband Ajit's death
Currently, senior party leader Praful Patel is serving as the working president of the NCP, while Sunil Tatkare is functioning as the head of its Maharashtra unit.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, who took over the post after her husband Ajit Pawar died in a tragic plane crash last week, is set to become the national president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), India Today TV has learnt.
Currently, senior party leader Praful Patel is serving as the working president of the NCP, while Sunil Tatkare is functioning as the head of its Maharashtra unit.
Following Ajit Pawar's death, several meetings were held by the party to deliberate on its future leadership. Party workers, office-bearers from across Maharashtra, and nearly 30 MLAs submitted letters to the senior leadership, expressing support for Sunetra Pawar to take charge of the party.
It is also understood that there was a growing demand that she lead the party to carry forward Ajit Pawar's political legacy. In view of the broad consensus within the party, the leadership finalised Sunetra's name for the post of national president, sources said.
An official meeting of the party's executive committee will be convened, they added.
A resolution proposing the appointment will be tabled, per the sources. "Once the resolution is approved, Sunetra Pawar will be formally elected as the National President of the NCP," they stated.
There has been widespread speculation about the power vacuum within the party ever since Ajit Pawar's death. Three days after the horrific plane crash that claimed his life, Sunetra Pawar was elected the legislature party leader of the NCP.
Shortly after the election, she was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister. On Tuesday, Patel clarified he was not in the race to become the national president of the NCP.
He lamented that those not connected to the party are speaking about the decisions taken by it in the aftermath of last week's tragic incident.
"Election of Sunetra Pawar as leader of the legislature party is our right. We will take decisions as per the sentiments of our rank and file," the NCP working president was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Earlier, speaking at the party office to pay condolences to Ajit Pawar, he had noted that the party will chart out its future under Sunetra Pawar's leadership.