Buzz over Maharashtra party chief’s resignation ‘mischief’, says NCP (SP)

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) on Saturday dismissed rumours that Jayant Patil is relinquishing the post of party’s State president.

Senior NCP (SP) leader and Kalwa legislator Jitendra Awhad has dismissed the claims of Mr. Patil’s resignation. “Mr. Patil is the State president, and the news of his resignation is false and just a mischief. The resignation cannot just happen like that. The party functions on rules and regulations.”

NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar also dismissed the probability of Mr. Patil switching to another party.

Mr. Patil, who headed the undivided NCP for seven years and stayed back with Sharad Pawar’s NCP after the split in 2013, had earlier expressed the desire to resign and make way for fresher leadership. His wish was also seen as a hint at an internal rift in the party.

The speculation comes ahead of the upcoming local elections. Reports of former Minister Shashikant Shinde potentially replacing Mr. Patil have also been surfacing. The decision on speculated changes is likely to happen in the NCP (SP) State executive committee meeting held on Tuesday in Mumbai.

BJP leader Girish Mahajan predicted that Mr. Patil was not happy in the party and said, “With time will come to know what happens. However, it has been a while since I spoke to him.”