Ahirkar resigns as NCP City chief Anil Ahirkar Prashant Pawar Duneshwar Pethe Duneshwar Pethe likely to be new President of NCP By Vikas Vaidya This is for the second time that Anil Ahirkar has resigned from the post of City President of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Last time his resignation was not accepted. But this time Jayant Patil State President of the Party has accepted his resignation and also indicated the new name for the post. According to highly placed sources Duneshwar Pethe the lone Corporator of the Party in Nagpur Municipal Corporation is likely to take the reigns. Anil Ahirkar had taken the charge of Party President four years ago. Then NCP too was not very keen in increasing partys fold in this part of region. After Ajay Patil resigned Ahirkar was given the responsibility of Party Presidentship. According to sources Ahirkar failed to steer the party in the right direction. His presence in the party office too was negligible. This has led to lethargy in various wings of the party. Youth Wing women wing found themselves helpless as far as conducting activities launching andolans etc. Party leadership despite being aware did not want to hurt the local leaders like former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. But after the development in State post-Assembly elections when Mahavikas Aaghadi came into power NCP has started looking at Nagpur where it wants to establish its existence. NCP has given indication of its willingness to grab power in this part of Maharashtra by bringing Abha Pandey a firebrand leader to its fold. In recent times stalwart leader like Praful Patel increased his visits to Nagpur and he would be playing key role in change of guards at Nagpur NCP unit. There are several names doing rounds who would likely to replace Ahirkar including former MLA Dinanath Padole former Corporator Vedprakash Arya Gangaprasad Gwalbanshi. Among all two names have come out as strong contenders for the post --- Duneshwar Pethe and Prashant Pawar. During Patels visit he has made it a point that he would go to Pawars office. This has paved way for the rumor that Pawar would get some concrete position in the Party. The reliable sources told The Hitavada that Ahirkar himself has not resinged but he was asked to do so so that the party would bring the person required at this juncture. Duneshwar Pethe is a loyal NCP leader and is there in the party since long. His name has upper hand over Prashant Pawar who has joined NCP about a year ago. According to some senior party functionaries making newly entrant Pawar the city President would create confusion among the party volunteers. In that case Party finds a new leader in Duneshwar Pethe. Jayant Patil will announce the new name in a day or two. It is also learnt that Ahirkar would be given the post of Vice President in State body.

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