'We have been orphaned': NCP worker Sandeep Kale writes letter in blood to Sharad Pawar, urges him to reconsider resignation

Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) worker Sandeep Kale wrote a letter to Sharad Pawar in his blood after the NCP supremo's surprise announcement to step down as the party chief. Kale urged Sharad Pawar to reconsider his decision.

In the letter, Kale referred to Sharad Pawar as "mentor" and said his resignation announcement left the party workers "orphaned."

"With this shocking announcement of yours, we have been orphaned," he wrote.

He further asked Pawar to reconsider his decision to resign.

"Your decision is not acceptable to anyone. Pawar saheb, you are our idol and our mentor. Please change your decision," Kale wrote in the letter using his blood.

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.

(With ANI inputs)