Pune: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Jayant Patil on Tuesday said that party chief Sharad Pawar should give a chance to a new face. Patil, who is a senior MLA, thus hinted that he was not keen on continuing as the Maharashtra head of the NCP (SP).
Speaking at the NCP's 26th foundation-day program at the Balgandharva Rangamandir, Patil said, "Pawar Saaheb (Sharad Pawar) has given me a lot of opportunity. He gave me a tenure of seven years. It is necessary that the the party gives opportunity to new faces."
"On this occasion, in front of all of you, I will request (Sharad Pawar) saaheb....let me finish my speech...., the party belongs to Sharad Pawar and he will take a decision," Patil added.
Patil also congratulated senior NCP (SP) leader and Baramarti MP Supriya Sule, who headed an all-party delegation abroad and presented India's views on Operation Sindoor. "We may have differences but when it comes to presenting the views of the nation, Pawar saaheb has told us to take a stand in the national interest and teach a lesson to the enemy. And Pawar saaheb did the same," added Patil.
Patil also said that in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the NCP (SP) received enormous success and most of the MPs were present on the stage. "We all worked hard and the results were to be seen," he added.
Patil also took a dig at the BJP and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over a recent article penned by Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. "Instead of the Election Commission of India, others are giving a justification on the article by Rahul Gandhi," quipped Patil.
He recalled that when NCP was founded lakhs of people had gathered at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Park in Mumbai in 1999. "From 1999 to 2014, the NCP remained in power in Maharashtra. The party took decisions which benefitted Maharashtra in the 15 years. In 2014, the BJP came to power and a lot of people, alighted from our railway, and sat in another railway," Patil said as he took a jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar.
"However, we stood with Pawar saaheb in all circumstances and so I am proud of you," he added.
