According to the sources, Mr. Shinde’s name was approved in a meeting of the core committee of the NCP (SP), before moving a proposal of his name for top post in the state executive committee.
Mumbai: Former Maharashtra minister and MLC Shashikant Shinde was on Tuesday elected as the new state president of NCP (SP). Sharad Pawar made the announcement in a meeting of the state executive committee of the party. Earlier in the meeting, the incumbent chief of Maharashtra NCP (SP) Jayant Patil requested Sharad Pawar to appoint a new president of the state. However, he clarified that he would remain in the party even though he does not have any post.
According to the sources, Mr. Shinde’s name was approved in a meeting of the core committee of the NCP (SP), before moving a proposal of his name for top post in the state executive committee. The core committee consists of Jayant Patil, Jitendra Awhad, Harshvardhan Patil, Rohit Pawar and Rajesh Tope.
In the executive meeting, senior NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh moved the proposal of Mr. Shinde’s name, which was seconded by party MP Amol Kolhe, MLA Uttam Jankar and former MLA Sunil Bhusara. After that Mr. Pawar took the mic and asked the gatherings of all frontal organisations, MLAs, MPs whether anyone wished to give his name for the post before declaring Shashikant Shinde as he had received only one name for the post. Subsequently, as there was no response, Mr Shinde’s name was announced as the unanimous choice amid the slogans by his supporters.
Mr. Shinde, who hails from Koregaon Assembly in Satara district, a bastion of the party, is known as an influential leader of the Mathadi Kamgar (who primarily work for loading, unloading and stacking goods). He also belongs to the influential Maratha community and was a cabinet minister for Water Resources in the Prithviraj Chavan-led Congress-NCP government in 2013-14.
Addressing the state executive meeting, outgoing NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil, said that he has been loyal to the party and working for the last 25 years. “Whatever the instructions will be given by Pawar saheb, I will follow it. I have been working (as the state unit chief) for 2,633 days,” he said.
The new president of Maharashtra NCP (SP) Shashikant Shinde said that he will deliver the tasks assigned to him. “I will work like a party worker in the state. I will tour across the state for a month and take along everyone,” he said.
