New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar has taken oath as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, in a move that has taken political watchers by surprise.
Speaking to reporters in its aftermath, NCP chief and Ajit’s uncle Sharad Pawar said that “many party leaders have been restless following the ED investigations against them…and now I see them go with Ajit Pawar.”
Sharad Pawar also appeared to turn down the possibility of going to court against the NCP split, saying, “We won’t approach the court, we will go among public. Our real strength comes from our people, our supporters. We will appeal to them.”
Sharad Pawar also said that despite the setback, the Maha Vikas Aghadi – the alliance of NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena under Uddhav Thackeray – will continue to be united.
Meanwhile, Jitendra Awhad has been appointed as the leader of opposition in Maharashatra legislative assembly, a position held by Ajit Pawar until now. Ahwad, a MLA from Thane district is known for his loyalty to Pawar and NCP.
ED and the ministers
The former leader of opposition of the Maharashtra assembly has the support of at least nine MLAs, who have taken oath in cabinet ministers’ positions. MLAs who are with Pawar are Dilip Walse Patil, Hassan Mushrif, Dharmarao Baba Atram, Aditi Sunil Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode, Anil Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal.
The oath-taking ceremony started at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai at around 2.20 pm. The National Democratic Alliance now has 210 MLAs, up from 170.
Pawar will share the post with Bharatiya Janata Party’s Devendra Fadnavis.
This is the fifth time that Ajit Pawar has become the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. Of the five, three have been before the current legislative assembly could complete its five-year term. He first became a deputy CM under Devendra Fadnavis’ government in 2019 and then, under Uddhav Thackeray and now Eknath Shinde.
“Now the double engine has become a triple engine. I welcome Ajit Pawar and other leaders who have decided to come along,” chief minister Eknath Shinde told reporters in Mumbai.
Ajit Pawar claimed his decision, in which he is apparently backed by most MLAs and senior leaders of the NCP, was in support of the work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past nine years. “Seeing his (Modi’s) work, we consider it is important we too support his effort,” Pawar said, in a press meet arranged soon after his decision to join the Shinde- Fadnavis government.
Senior leader Praful Patel and Chhagan Bhujbal were present at the press meet. Interestingly, Pawar, Bhujbal and Patel all have pending Enforcement Directorate cases against them. Months ago, the ED had attached several floors of a prime property belonging to Patel, in Mumbai.
In April, Hasan Mushrif, who was sworn in today, got protection from arrest by the Bombay HC in a money laundering case filed against him by the ED.
Before the presser, Pawar had allegedly called an urgent meeting of NCP leaders today. There were rumours that he had met BJP senior Amit Shah earlier this week. Soon after, he went to Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Ramesh Bais and was sworn-in as a deputy CM. Pawar claims that all NCP MLAs are with him.
It is unclear as to what happens to the NCP party with the current split.
Earlier, an insider had said that NCP party chief Sharad Pawar, who is at present in Pune, had been “unaware” of his nephew’s decision.
Considering that Praful Patel is a close confidante of Sharad Pawar’s, his move into the government is unlikely without Pawar’s consent or at least his knowledge, said a senior MLA from the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has written on Twitter on the party’s alliance partner, “BJP was about to send him to jail. He is taking oath as a minister now.”
This is a breaking news copy and will be updated as information comes in.