Sharad Pawar on Friday withdrew his resignation as NCP president under pressure from party leaders and workers but declared that organisational changes would be made as part of the gradual succession plan.

Pawar’s decision came after a panel formed to select the new party president unanimously rejected his resignation and asked him to continue.

The panel met on Friday morning and adopted a resolution asking Pawar to carry on. Later in the evening, the veteran reversed his decision, revealing that important leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Sitaram Yechury had requested him to continue at this critical juncture.

“I can’t disrespect your sentiments. Because of your love, I am respecting the demand that was made to me to withdraw my resignation. A resolution was passed by senior NCP leaders. After considering everything, I withdraw my decision to step down as the national president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP),” he said.

The three-day drama, however, might have helped Pawar rein in his nephew Ajit Pawar who is itching to get into an alliance with the BJP much against the majority opinion in the party. Even Sharad Pawar doesn’t want to take that drastic step at this critical juncture when the joint Opposition has described the Narendra Modi regime as a threat to India’s democracy.

Ajit Pawar was absent when his uncle reversed his decision and declared that organisational changes would be made to initiate the creation of new leadership in the party.

Sharad Pawar said new responsibilities would be announced soon. “Even though I am continuing in the post of president, I am of the clear opinion that there has to be a succession plan for any post or responsibility in the organisation. In future, I will focus on making organisational changes in the party, assigning new responsibilities, and creating new leadership. I will also work vigorously for the growth of the organisation and take our ideology and goals of the party to the people,” he said.

By stressing the importance of “ideology” and declaring that he would vigorously pursue the task of uniting the Opposition parties to fight the BJP in the 2024 general election, Sharad Pawar has sent out a clear message to the NCP rank and file that there is no scope for confusion about the direction of his politics. Ajit Pawar has no option other than falling in line if he wants to continue in the NCP.

Earlier, senior leader Praful Patel said after the meeting of the panel: “All of us want Sharad Pawar to continue as the party president. He should respect the feelings of lakhs of us and he should continue as the president. Whatever Sharad Pawar said that day was shocking for all of us. We had no idea that he will announce any such decision at that programme. All of you saw what happened after his announcement, and how people tried to express their feelings.

“Even after the programme, several party leaders met Pawar several times and we have been continuously requesting him that the country, state and party want you to continue and you are the only one who can lead us.”

Sources said Sharad Pawar continuing as NCP chief was the safest option available at this stage because choosing between Ajit and Supriya Sule wasn’t an easy task.