Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Wednesday offered to step down as Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, stating that he now wanted to work in a position in the party organisation.

“I have worked for many years in the party. I have worked in many posts. The post of Opposition leader is not what I had demanded. It was on the insistence of party MLAs who signed on a letter that I chose the position…but now I want to give up the Leader of the Opposition post,” he said addressing the NCP’s foundation day programme at Shanmukhananda Hall in Mumbai. NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders were present at the occasion.

Also Read: Ajit Pawar not upset, proposed Sule’s name for Working President: Sharad Pawar

The development comes a month after Sharad Pawar said he had decided to resign as NCP president. However, he later withdrew his decision following protests from his party workers and leaders. A few weeks later, Pawar announced the appointment of Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule as the party’s national working presidents.

The move was seen as a snub to Ajit Pawar who saw senior Pawar’s exit as paving the way for him to exercise greater control over party affairs. Addressing the gathering today, Ajit Pawar made it a point to recount the role he played in the victory of several NCP MLAs in the Assembly elections in 2019 before making the offer to resign.

Also Read: Maha Vikas Aghadi will remain intact: Ajit Pawar

“You all know how I work in Mantralaya. I end the matter with yes or no. I did the same in the 2019 Assembly polls,” he said. Pawar further said that he is willing to work in any position that is offered to him in the party.

“I request that I now want to work in a position in the party organisation. I assure you that I will give you the best results and I will show you what I can do. I will accept any position that you will give me. But let me show you what I can do in the organisation,” he said.

Ajit Pawar’s relationship with the NCP and his uncle Sharad Pawar has been one ridden with many ups and downs. Ahead of Sharad Pawar’s offer to quit as party president, rumours were rife that Ajit was planning to switch over to the BJP taking along a section of the MLAs with him. Ajit Pawar had denied all such rumours as did Sharad Pawar.