NCP youth wing resolution backs Pawar as UPA chairperson

Mumbai: The NCP youth wing, Nationalist Youth Congress, has proposed that party chief Sharad Pawar should be made the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). It passed a resolution on Tuesday recommending the veteran leader’s name for the post.

The resolution was unanimously approved at the national executive of the NCP youth wing at New Delhi where over 100 representatives from across the country were present.

The resolution assumes significance as it was for the first time the party has openly advocated Mr Pawar’s name for the UPA chairperson’s post. The demand significantly has also come on the backdrop of the Congress facing a heavy drubbing in the recently held assembly polls in the country.

“Looking at the current political scenario in the country, Sharad Pawar should lead the Congress and other regional parties at the national level as he is the most experienced leader in the country. He has made a significant contribution in the country’s development while working as a union defence and agriculture minister. Taking all these aspects into account, he should be appointed as the leader of opposition parties,” said Ravikant Varpe, working president of Maharashtra NCP youth wing.

NCP’s ally Shiv Sena too has favoured Mr Pawar to head the opposition alliance on many occasions earlier. With the NCP itself favouring its party chief for the post, it remains to be seen what stand the other constituents of the UPA take on this issue.

However, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole has said that only Congress is capable of defeating the BJP at the national level. “Sonia Gandhi is leading the UPA and she is competent enough for it. The UPA cannot function without Congress,” he said.