The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) appears to have put on hold a possible change in its Maharashtra leadership, with the Sunetra Pawar-led party wary of triggering another internal fault line as it settles into a new power structure following Ajit Pawar’s death.

At the centre of the uncertainty is state president Sunil Tatkare, whose position came under scrutiny after Jan Suraaj Party MLA and poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor suggested an organisational overhaul during a recent interaction with Sunetra Pawar and her son, Rajya Sabha MP Parth Pawar.

Two names subsequently emerged as possible successors to Tatkare — senior leader Dilip Walse Patil, representing the party’s old guard, and Amalner MLA Anil Bhaidas Patil, a relatively younger face. For now, however, there is no indication that Tatkare is being asked to step down.

Anil Patil, when asked about reports that he was being considered for the post, dismissed the speculation. “The media runs these stories based on sources. My own sources have told me that there has been no such discussion whatsoever in the party,” he said.

Walse Patil, meanwhile, is understood to have conveyed to the party leadership that he is not seeking a ministerial position and would rather devote his time to organisational work. “He wants to give time to the party and this is what he has told Sunetra Pawar,” a senior NCP leader said.

NCP leader Bhausaheb Gore had recently approached the Election Commission questioning Tatkare’s reappointment as state president, alleging that the prescribed process was not followed.

Tatkare, however, remains an important figure in the organisation. A close lieutenant of the late Ajit Pawar, he has more than four decades of political experience and has held several key portfolios in the Maharashtra government.

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A senior NCP leader defended his continuation, saying there had been no indication from Sunetra Pawar that she wanted him to step down.

“There has been no indication from Sunetra Pawar and she has not asked him to resign. Tatkare knows when to retire and how to hand over the baton,” the leader said.

The issue is also tied to the changing balance within the NCP after Ajit Pawar’s death. Sunetra Pawar has taken over as the party’s national president, while Parth Pawar has become increasingly active in the organisation. Tatkare and working president Praful Patel, both veterans of Ajit Pawar’s political setup, represent the old organisational leadership.

At 69, Walse Patil represents continuity. A six-time MLA from Ambegaon, he began his political career as Sharad Pawar’s personal secretary before entering electoral politics in 1990. He has handled key portfolios including finance, energy, higher and medical education and home, besides serving as Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly from 2009 to 2014.

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At 57, Anil Patil represents a relatively younger face of the party. The Amalner MLA entered the Assembly in 2019 and retained the seat in 2024. He built his base through local politics and the cooperative sector before emerging as an Ajit Pawar loyalist. After the 2023 NCP split, he joined the Eknath Shinde-led government and was made a minister. He is also the NCP’s chief whip in the Assembly.

A move to replace Tatkare would signal a significant change in the party’s organisational balance after Ajit Pawar’s death. While it could give the Pawar family greater control over the organisation, it could also unsettle an experienced leader with his own political base and organisational network.