A major political upheaval unfolded in the state of Maharashtra, after Ajit Pawar the senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), took oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra for the third time since 2019. The surprising turn of events, which had been kept under wraps resulted in enthusiastic slogans of "Ajit dada, hum tumhare saath hai" as being raised at the Raj Bhavan.

Earlier in 2019, Ajit Pawar had previously assumed the position of deputy CM when Devendra Fadnavis took office as chief minister. However, that government was later replaced by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray, with Ajit Pawar once again serving as the deputy chief minister. Now, in the latest development, he will share the role with Devendra Fadnavis.

It is important to note that Ajit Pawar's oath-taking does not indicate his formal entry into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He claimed to have the support of 40 MLAs, suggesting a potential split within the party and a bid to prove a majority in the Assembly.

Following Ajit Pawar’s move to join the NDA government in Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar said, “ I will never say that my home has split, this issue is not regarding my home, this is the issue of people. I am worried about the future of those who left”. With Ajit Pawar leaving the NCP camp Jitendra Ahwad is appointed as Leader of Opposition (LoP) of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Other NCP MLAs who have taken as Cabinet ministers of Maharashtra government are Dilip Walse Patil, Hassan Mushrif, Dharmarao Baba Atram, Aditi Sunil Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode, Anil Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut stated that he had a conversation with NCP president Sharad Pawar, who reassured him of his strength and the support of the people. Political experts speculate that Sharad Pawar may pursue the disqualification of the MLAs who joined forces with the government.

The NCP, on the other hand, has distanced itself from Ajit Pawar's actions, stating that they do not have the "blessings" of Sharad Pawar. Mahesh Tapase, the chief spokesperson of the NCP, referred to the swearing-in ceremony as part of the BJP's "Operation Lotus." He emphasized that the party officially does not support the ceremony, suggesting that the leaders took oaths in their individual capacity.

This development follows Ajit Pawar's sidelining within the party, as Supriya Sule and Praful Patel were promoted to the positions of working presidents of the NCP.

This unexpected turn of events has sent shockwaves throughout the political landscape of Maharashtra. The decision by Pawar, a senior figure within the NCP, to align with the ruling party has generated immense speculation and raised questions about the potential ramifications for both the NCP and the state government.

Image source: The Economic Times