Ahead of high-stakes Maharashtra elections, NCP chief Sharad Pawar hints at his retirement

Eighty-three-year-old Pawar indicated that the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, viewed as a high-stakes political battle for his NCP as an alliance partner in the MVA, might be his final foray into politics before stepping back.

Speaking at a meeting in Baramati while campaigning for his grandnephew Yugendra Pawar, he remarked, "I am not in power. I am definitely in Rajya Sabha. There is still one-and-a-half years left. But after 1.5 years, I will have to think about whether to go to Rajya Sabha or not. I will not contest Lok Sabha. I will not contest any election."

Pawar, who has maintained an undefeated record in his 57 years of electoral politics since first becoming an MLA from Baramati in 1967, affirmed his commitment to continue serving the public.

He stressed the importance of transitioning to a new generation of leaders, stating, "I have contested 14 times. You (people) did not send me home even once. You elected me every time. But I will have to stop somewhere... I will have to bring the new generation forward. I am working with this principle. This does not mean that I have left social work. But I do not want power. I will keep serving and working for the people."

Throughout his career, Pawar served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra four times and held top Union Cabinet positions, including Defence and Agriculture, during the UPA government.

He founded the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 1999, which experienced a split in 2023 when his nephew Ajit Pawar established a separate faction.

Just a year ago, Pawar dismissed retirement rumours, asserting that he was "neither tired nor retired".

His response had come when Ajit Pawar’s suggested that he should step back from active politics due to his age.

"You have made me the Chief Minister not once or twice but four times. You elected me in 1967, and I worked here for 25 years before moving on to work for Maharashtra. Now, it's time to prepare for the future. We need to groom leadership that will work for the next 30 years," he was quoted as saying by India Today in Baramati.