No succession plan as of now, clarifies NCP

NEW DELHI: After Sharad Pawar’s announcement to take back his resignation from the post of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president, the party has said that it does not have any succession plan as of now. Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, NCP National Spokesperson Clyde Crasto accepted that the party needs a succession plan, but added that as of now, there is no talk of that in the party. ‘’Yes, every party needs a succession plan but at the same time the party stands because of its cadre. The workers need the party and it was workers who said that Pawar Saheb should stay. There are many who are fit enough and capable to take over reins of the party and they are ready to do so, but the party cadres wanted him to continue. That is why after seeing the emotions of the party workers, he decided to continue,’’ Crasto said.
The NCP leader replied in the negative when asked if there are talks of a succession plan at any level of the party. ‘’There is no talk of a succession plan at the moment because we were waiting for him to take the resignation back. Had he not taken the resignation back, then we would have thought of the plan, but he gave us two days’ time and we accepted that,’’ Crasto said. He, however, said that the incident has given a strong message to the opponents that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is strong and not going to split. “Everybody was talking about splits in the party but the fact is there is nothing like that and we are strong and staying together. It has been shown now. Everybody is together and there is no problem. It is a strong message to those who were trying to create a friction in the party,’’ he said.
NCP Goa unit president Jose Philip D’Souza, too, agreed that the party should have a succession plan. However, he added that it is for the senior leaders and Pawar Shaheb to take a call. “Of course, he is an elderly person. But he does not care for his age. He is the person who formed the party. We want him, we want his guidance. For the time being, we are very happy that he has announced the decision to take back the resignation,’’ he said.
He pointed out that it was not only the NCP leaders but also leaders of various Opposition parties who persuaded Mr Pawar to have a second thought over his decision. ‘’This shows his importance in national politics, especially when Lok Sabha elections are a year away,’’ he said. The 82-year-old leader had announced on 2 May that he would resign from the post of party president and would not contest elections. However, three days later, he announced to take the decision back after protests by the party workers and a party panel passing a resolution urging him to take back the decision. Following announcement of resignation by Pawar, political circles were abuzz with speculation of next NCP President.