A committee set up to choose the new Nationalist Congress Party chief has rejected incumbent president Sharad Pawar's decision to step down

"The committee has unanimously passed a resolution. It unanimously rejects his decision to step down and urges him to continue as party president," senior party leader Praful Patel said after a meeting of the committee

"We will meet Pawar saheb with this resolution and request him to reconsider his decision," Patel, who is also the vice president and convenor of committee said

As the meeting was underway, several NCP workers wearing caps with the message "I am with saheb" demanded that Pawar reconsider his decision

Sharad Pawar on Tuesday sprang a surprise by announcing his decision to quit as president of the party he founded and headed since 1999 when he left the Congress to chart his own political course