Rahul Gandhi, MK Stalin dial Supriya Sule following Sharad Pawar's resignation as NCP chief: Report

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin spoke with Sharad Pawar's daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule today about the veteran political leader's resignation as Nationalist Congress Party chief, according to a report from Times of India.

Rahul and Stalin wanted to know from Sule about Pawar's suprise move to relinquish the party president's post, NCP members who are part of the panel formed to discuss the succession plan told TOI.

Both Rahul and Stalin called up Sule hours after Pawar announced his resignation on Tuesday, as per the report.

Congress member Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin called NCP Sule and asked her to persuade her father, Sharad Pawar, to withdraw his resignation as party chief, two senior NCP members told TOI on Wednesday.

Sharad Pawar steps down as NCP chief

Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced that he has decided to step down as party chief drawing emotional reactions from thousands of NCP leaders, workers and supporters who urged him to reconsider the decision.

The move also came as a surprise in political circles with Pawar, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister and union minister, seen as a key architect of moves towards opposition unity ahead of 2024 electoral battle.

Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, who had earlier said that "Pawar Saheb himself had said about the necessity of change in guard a few days back" later said that the NCP veteran would take two to three days to rethink his decision.

Pawar, who founded the NCP in 1999, has held the post of party chief for the past 24 years.Sharad Pawar, while announcing his decision, said he will not contest elections. He recommended a committee of senior NCP leaders to decide on the future course of action.

The committee will include Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, PC Chacko, Narhari Zirwal, Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujabl, Dilip Walse-Patil, Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope, Jitendra Awhad, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Jaydev Gaikwad and chiefs of party frontal cells, he said.