Mumbai, May 26 -- At a time when the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is reeling from internal differences, the party leadership recently asked a prominent leader from Sangli to resign from the Maharashtra legislative council to accommodate another candidate, according to party insiders. However, Idris Naikwadi, 61, refused to step down, saying he had been appointed by the late NCP president Ajit Pawar and intended to complete his six-year term, insiders said. Naikwadi, however, denied the claims, saying that no one had approached him seeking his resignation. Naikwadi was appointed to the legislative council from the governor's nominated quota in October 2024. He was the only Muslim member of the legislative council (MLC) until Zeeshan Siddique's election earlier this month. He was also among the four Muslim leaders named as star campaigners by the party for the 2024 assembly elections. According to a senior NCP leader, an officer on special duty (OSD) from deputy chief minister and NCP president Sunetra Pawar's office visited Naikwadi's home in Sangli, a fortnight ago and conveyed the leadership's desire that he vacate the MLC post. "Naikwadi refused to do so. Later, during a meeting in Mumbai, he was assured that the party would take care of him and rehabilitate him in another position soon, but he was not convinced," another NCP leader revealed....