Maharashtra Politics: Shashikant Shinde Likely to Replace Jayant Patil As NCP (SP) State Chief After Record Tenure

After a record over seven-year term, former minister Jayant Patil will step down as the state unit chief of Sharad Pawar-led NCP. His exit will pave the way for another party veteran, Shashikant Shinde, sources close to the developments told the FPJ.

Although no senior leader from the NCP confirmed the developments, the party has called a meeting of its executive on Tuesday at YB Chavan Centre, where the announcement will be made.

There was speculation that Patil would join Ajit Pawar's NCP; however, sources close to him have denied the claim. Patil has refuted the rumours of his joining the BJP.

Patil, who took over as state chief in 2018, had requested the party leadership to relieve him of his duties last month.

His record term had become a topic of intense debate in the party, particularly among the young lot of leaders led by MLA Rohit Pawar. Patil, who served as the minister for finance, planning, home and water resources between 1999 and 2014 and 2019 and 2022, enjoys the solid backing of the party patriarch Sharad Pawar.

It is also speculated that the lone vacant berth in the BJP-led Mahayuti cabinet has been reserved for Patil, along with the portfolio of the energy department. Reacting to the developments, Rohit Pawar said Patil would not join the BJP.

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Meanwhile, another senior leader in the party, Jitendra Awhad, however, denied the reports of Patil’s resignation. “There is an established procedure in the party to make decisions on such issues,” he posted on “X”.

Reacting to the reports, Shinde said that any decision taken by party supremo Sharad Pawar, executive chief Supriya Sule, and Jayant Patil would be final. “I will stand shoulder to shoulder with the other leaders to strengthen the party and fight for the public cause,” he said. “I will work on the lines of late R R Patil when he was the party state chief,” Shinde said.