Jayant Patil hints at stepping down as NCP (SP) state chief
NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil on Tuesday indicated his willingness to step down as Maharashtra state unit president saying time has come for the party to give opportunities to new faces
Pune: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Jayant Patil on Tuesday indicated his willingness to step down as the Maharashtra state unit president, saying the time had come for the party to give opportunities to new faces.
Patil was addressing party workers at the 26th foundation day function of the NCP (SP) in Pune, where party president Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders were present.
“Pawar Saheb gave me many opportunities. I was given a tenure of seven years. Ultimately, the party needs to give a chance to new faces. I will request Sharad Pawar in front of you all—after all, the party belongs to Pawar Saheb. He should take an appropriate decision on this. We have a long way to go,” Patil said.
The statement drew an emotional response from the audience, with many party workers rising to urge Patil to continue in his role. Pawar, seated on stage, listened without immediate comment as chants of support for Patil echoed from the crowd.
Reacting later in his address, Pawar acknowledged Patil’s intent and said that the matter would be deliberated upon with other senior leaders before a decision is made.
“Jayant Patil has conveyed to me his desire to give an opportunity to new faces. You and I should support him. I only wish to say that we will consult all senior party leaders, discuss it with him, and take a collective decision,” Pawar said.
He added that while considering Patil’s role, the party must also ensure that fresh leadership is encouraged across all districts. “We must create space for new faces in every corner of Maharashtra,” he said.
Patil, who has held the post since 2018, is known to be a trusted aide of Pawar and was instrumental in keeping the party organisation intact after last year’s split in the Nationalist Congress Party.
His comments come amid fresh speculation over a possible merger of the two NCP factions of Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. However, both camps have publicly denied any such move, despite a series of meetings between their top leaders in recent weeks.
Patil’s remarks also follow recent comments by Pawar’s grandnephew Rohit Pawar, who had said during last year’s foundation day event that while he had no personal ambition to lead the party, he was ready to take on any responsibility entrusted to him by the leadership.
Although Patil did not formally resign, his statement is being read as a clear indication that the party could soon see a generational shift in its state leadership.
Interestingly, the foundation day was marked by separate events held by both factions in Pune on the same day. Even as speculation about a reunion continues to swirl, leaders on both sides reiterated there was no proposal for a merger under discussion.
