Mumbai: A key meeting of top Nationalist Congress Party leaders unanimously rejected Sharad Pawar's resignation on Friday and requested him to continue as President.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the special panel set up by Pawar to name his successor after his dramatic announcement on Tuesday to step down.
The panel's decision on the two resolutions -- rejecting the resignation and urging him to continue as party chief -- will be conveyed to Pawar for his final call in the matter.
Top NCP leaders like Praful Patel and Ajit Pawar will make the official announcement on the developments later this afternoon.
Meanwhile, an emotional NCP activist attempted to commit suicide outside the party office but was prevented by the thousands of other workers and the police.
A committee of senior NCP leaders, including Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, former Union minister Parful Patel and Chhagan Bhujbal, began its meeting a few minutes before 11 am to decide on who will lead the party following their chief Sharad Pawar's decision to step down earlier this week.
Pawar on Tuesday sprang a surprise by announcing his decision to quit as president of the party he founded and headed since 1999 when he left the Congress to chart his own political course.
The announcement, made at an event, stumped leaders and workers of the 24-year-old party.
Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP and one of the stalwarts of the Opposition, had said he was stepping down as NCP chief but was not retiring from public life.
The announcement came amid speculation that Ajit Pawar and some MLAs may join hands with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, though the former deputy chief minister has refuted such talk by claiming he will be with the NCP till he is alive.
(With PTI and IANS inputs.)
