NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad quits General Secretary post day after Sharad Pawar resigns as party chief

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad resigned from his post as National General Secretary on Wednesday. His announcement comes a day after Maharashtra's heavyweight politician Sharad Pawar resigned as the president of the NCP.

Awhad has claimed that all the office bearers of Thane have also resigned with him.

While speaking to news agency ANI, NCP leader Jitendra Awhad said, “I have resigned from my post of National General Secretary and I have sent my resignation to NCP chief Sharad Pawar. All office bearers of Thane NCP have also resigned after Pawar Saheb's announcement (to resign from the post of party chief).”

Pawar stepped down as president

The political corridors in Maharashtra have received a huge jolt as Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar announced his resignation from the post.

His announcement at the launch of his autobiography in Mumbai's Yashwantrao Chavan centre came as a shock to everyone including the party leaders and supporters who broke down and erupted in slogans asking him to take his resignation back. NCP workers staged a flash protest outside YB Chavan Centre in the city.

Thane supporters stage sit-in

The NCP workers in Thane have gone on hunger strike and have said they will not call it off until Sharad Pawar takes his resignation back. The emotional workers held prints of his photos and they sloganeered, "Sharad Pawar aage badho, hum tumhare saath hai [We swear our alleigance to you],"

NCP leaders cry their hearts out

"We're not ready to accept your decision of resigning from the post of NCP president. We want you to reconsider your decision," said NCP leaders including Chhagan Bhujbal, Jitendra Awhad and Dilip Walse Patil

NCP leader Jayant Patil also broke down and said, "Not just for Maharashtra Politics, it is imporant that he [Sharad Pawar] holds his position." He was being consoled by a visibly upset Anil Deshmukh.