NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Coinciding with the 26th foundation day, veteran politician Jayant Patil expressed desire to step down as Maharashtra unit president of Sharad Pawar-headed NCP (SP).
Patil is a close confidante of Pawar.
Patil, who had held important portfolios in the erstwhile Democratic Front and Maha Vikas Aghadi governments, has been state chief for close to seven years.
However, neither Pawar nor NCP (SP) Working President Supriya Sule had commented on the request of Patil, an eight-time MLA.
”Pawar Saheb gave me a lot of opportunities. He gave me a period of seven years. Finally, the party needs to give a chance to new faces. I will request you in front of all of you to give a chance to new people. Finally, the party belongs to Pawar Saheb. Pawar Saheb should take the right decision on this. We have to go a long way,” Patil said speaking at the Balgandharva Rang Mandir in Pune.
However, as soon as Patil made the statement, party workers urged him not to step down.
Patil, who was appointed the state unit chief of NCP in 2018 had sailed through the June-July 2023 split and had managed to retain several people from going to the NCP now led by Ajit Pawar, who is the NCP President and Deputy Chief Minister.
It may be mentioned, there have been reports that two-time MLA Rohit Pawar is keen to take up a bigger role in the party.