Maharashtra: Supriya Sule frontrunner for NCP chief post; Ajit Pawar likely to be MVA's CM face

It is reported that Sharad Pawar's family, which includes Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's spouse Pratibha Pawar and Supriya Sule, discussed the chief's resignation as well as power-sharing between Sule and Ajit at the state and national levels.

A day after senior leader Sharad Pawar schocked the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and created a massive chaos in the Maharashtra politics, his daughter Supriya Sule has emerged as his successor at the national level. According to reports, Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar will be given the state responsibility if the NCP patriarch refuses to withdraw his resignation as the party chief.

It is reportedly said that the NCP top leaders Praful Patel, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Eknath Khadse, Jitendra Ahwad and others met and discussed who could be the next party president. Dilip Walse Patil said that Supriya Sule's name was on top in the meeting.

However, a committee must clear the decision, which would have to be okayed by Sharad Pawar.

It is reported that Sharad Pawar's family, which includes Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's spouse Pratibha Pawar and Supriya Sule, discussed the chief's resignation as well as power-sharing between Sule and Ajit at the state and national levels.

The Pawar family has reportedly determined that he is 83 years old and will soon undergo medical treatment, which will take at least three to four months, according to a senior NCP leader.

"Therefore, the successor has to be found as early as possible. Pawar can play the mentor role to groom his daughter in national politics since he will be always there to guide her. So, this is the perfect time for Supriya to step into her father’s shoes. The shoe is big, but sooner or later she must step in and evolve as a leader," a senior NCP leader said.

Senior leaders expressed their emotions on Tuesday, but Sule remained composed despite their pleas for the NCP chief to change his mind. Sule's ascent within the party in recent years has been interpreted as the father preparing his daughter for significant responsibilities.

On several issues, she has frequently criticised both the federal government and the state government led by Shinde-Fadnavis. Another party official claimed that when the proposal was being discussed in the core committee meeting in 2017, Supriya "tai" was the one who opposed working with the Modi-led government at the Centre.