Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Monday announced that he will not contest the upcoming General Elections. Several reports over the past month had said Pawar will contest from Madha constituency in Maharashtra.

“After holding talks within family, we were of the opinion that next generation members should be given chance,” Pawar said in Pune after meeting other party leaders, the Hindustan Times reported. “There is demand from various party leaders and workers for Parth Pawar’s candidature from Maval.” Parth Pawar is his grandnephew and the son of Ajit Pawar.

“I thought that already two members of my family are contesting polls this time and hence I felt this is right time to take decision to not contest since I already have contested 14 times in the past,” he added, according to ANI.

The Election Commission announced the dates for the 2019 General Elections on Sunday. The polls will be held in seven phases, starting April 11 and ending May 19. The results will be declared on May 23. Voting in Maharashtra will take place in four phases on April 11, April 18, April 23 and April 29.

Ajit Pawar is at present a legislator in the Maharashtra Assembly. Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule represents Baramati constituency of the state. Sharad Pawar represented the Solapur district constituency in the Lok Sabha from 2009 to 2014. He became a Rajya Sabha MP in 2014.