Ajit Pawar’s demand for party post will enthuse cadre: Supriya Sule

A day after senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar demanded a post within the party organisation while urging the party brass to relieve him of his current position as Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Assembly, NCP working president Supriya Sule said she was “happy” Mr. Pawar had expressed a wish that had enthused the party cadre.

A day after senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar demanded a post within the party organisation while urging the party brass to relieve him of his current position as Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Assembly, NCP working president Supriya Sule said she was “happy” Mr. Pawar had expressed a wish that had enthused the party cadre.

Speaking in Pune ahead of a function, Ms. Sule — who is Mr. Ajit Pawar’s cousin and NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s daughter — said: “It is my wish that Ajit Dada‘s wish is fulfilled. However, it is an organisational decision whether to give him a chance to work in the organisation or not. I am very happy that Dada also wants to work in the organisation. By this, the party’s organisation will only grow stronger and a good message is being sent out to cadres and party workers.”

Ms. Sule added: “My wish as a sister is that all my brother’s wishes come true.”

Mr. Ajit Pawar’s eyebrow-raising statement, made during his address at the party’s 24th Foundation Day in Mumbai on Wednesday, has sparked fresh speculation that he was disgruntled at being denied a party position in the NCP’s reshuffle earlier this month.

According to sources, Mr. Ajit Pawar, the former Deputy CM of Maharashtra, is eyeing the post of NCP State president, currently held by his intra-party rival Jayant Patil.

“I have worked in many different posts in the past years. I was not much interested in the post of Leader of Opposition. But the party top brass and our MLAs insisted I take it up… Some said I was not tough enough [on the ruling parties]… Am I supposed to catch them by the scruff of their necks? So, I have expressed my wish to the senior leadership to free me from this post. Give me any post in the organisation that you think fit and I will do justice to it,” Mr. Ajit Pawar had said.

While Ms. Sule and the NCP’s national vice-president Praful Patel were made working presidents of the party, Mr. Ajit Pawar was not given any organisational post.