Sharad Pawar steps down as NCP president | A timeline of his political journey
Mumbai, May 2: Veteran politician Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced that he is stepping down as the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). "I am resigning from the post of the national president of the NCP," said Sharad Pawar.
However, NCP leaders and workers raised slogans against the exit of Sharad Pawar and said "they would not leave the hall until he withdraws his decision."
Announcing his decision, Sharad Pawar said, "I have decided to stop working as the president of the NCP. I will continue working in the political, social and cultural life hence forth."
Let's reassess the timeline of his political journey
Student politics: In 1956, Sharad Pawar gave a call for a protest march on Goan Independence in Maharashtra’s Pravaranagar. In 1958, Sharad Pawar joined the Youth Congress.
After four years of joining the Youth Congress, he became the chief of the Pune district Youth Congress in 1962.
From MLA to becoming youngest CM of Maharashtra
In 1967, when Sharad Pawar was 27, he was nominated as a candidate for the Assembly elections from Maharashtra’s Baramati constituency. As an MLA, he addressed the issues related to drought in Maharashtra.
During the 1975-77 government of Shankarrao Chavan, Sharad Pawar served as the Home Affairs Minister. At the age of 38, Sharad Pawar left the Congress (U) to form a government with Janata Party, and he became the youngest Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1978.
From Defence Minister to Agriculture Minister
In 1988, Sharad Pawar became the CM of Maharashtra for the second time. In 1991, Sharad Pawar became the Defence Minister in the Union Government led by Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. He handled the portfolio till 1993. In 2004, he became the Minister of Agriculture in the UPA government.
- With inputs from agencies
