Pawar has sought more time to consider NCP committee's resolution: Patel

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar has sought more time to reconsider his decision to step down as party chief, senior NCP leader Praful Patel said on Friday.

Patel and senior party leaders met Pawar at his Silver Oak residence in south Mumbai after a committee formed to choose his successor rejected his decision to step down as NCP chief.

We requested (Sharad) Pawar saheb to consider the NCP committee's resolution (which rejected his decision of stepping down as party chief). He (Pawar) has asked for more time and will convey his decision, Patel said.

Earlier in the day, the committee set up to choose the new Nationalist Congress Party chief rejected Pawar's decision to step down.

The committee has unanimously passed a resolution. It unanimously rejects his decision to step down and urges him to continue as party president, Patel said after a meeting of the committee. Pawar himself had set up the committee, including Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Patel and Chhagan Bhujb