Sharad Pawar looks outside family, picks low-key Maratha leader for Maharashtra chief

With the appointment of Shashikant Shinde, seen to be a non-controversial, low-key Maratha leader from Western Maharashtra as its state unit chief, the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) has signalled its intent to regain its presence in its traditional strongholds. A Mathadi (porter) union leader, 61-year-old Shinde hails from Satara and will take over from Jayant Patil, the party’s longest serving state president and a fellow Maratha leader from neighbouring Sangli district. After his appointment, Shinde, who is the leader of the Mathadi community in the Navi Mumbai Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), visited the union’s office. “I paid my respects to the late (Mathadi union leader) Annasaheb Patil, who has guided me and showed me the way forward,” he said.