Naxal assault: Sharad Pawar says Maharashtra CM ought to resign

Mumbai, May 1 NCP chief Sharad Pawar Wednesday requested Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' resignation following the IED blast did by Naxals in Gadchiroli in which 15 policemen and a n civilian died.

Fadnavis holds the home portfolio and "he shouldstep down immediately", Pawar tweeted.

"Those who feel shame of still, small voice if not disgrace of general supposition would have surrendered. In any case, the general population who are in power today are not going to do so," Pawar included.

Saying that Naxals activities in the state were growing, Pawar said it was the consequence of "rulers ignoring peace circumstance in the Naxal-affected areas".

"Thus there is no choice however to denounce the assault and express sorrow over the jawans' deaths," the NCP supremo said.

State NCP chief and former Maharashtra home minister Jayant Patil said the Naxals deliberately struck on the state's foundation day as they needed to "dampen".

"We won't enable this endeavor to debilitate the state by purposely doing the assault on Maharashtra Day to succeed," he tweeted.

At least 16 people including 15 police staff were killed in the blast of an Improvised Explosive Device activated by Naxals in Gadchiroli area in eastern Maharashtra Wednesday.

Prior to the blast, Naxals had torched 25 vehicles belonging to a road construction contractor.