Ajit Pawar becomes Deputy CM for fifth time

Ajit Pawar has served as deputy CM five times, including twice before 2019 in a Congress-led government. In November 2019 after the Assembly polls and the split between the BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena, the government of Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, who were sworn in at a early morning ceremony by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, lasted just 80 hours as Pawar junior was unable to cause a split in his party.

Pawar to serve under 3rd CM in under four years

It is for the third time under four years that Ajit Pawar dons the role of deputy chief minister under three chief ministers--Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde.

State sees four oath-taking ceremonies in 4 years

The swearing-in of Ajit Pawar and several of his colleagues as deputy chief minister and ministers has meant Maharashtra has seen four oath-taking ceremonies in as many years at its stately Raj Bhavan. In November 2019, after the Assembly polls and the split between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena, Devendra Fadnavis and NCP's Ajit Pawar were sworn in as CM and Deputy CM, respectively, in an early morning ceremony in Raj Bhavan. The government lasted just 80 hours as Pawar was unable to cause a split in his party. Within a month, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as CM after his party joined hands with the NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Agahdi government. The MVA government fell in June last year after minister Eknath Shinde and 39 MLAs revolted against Thackeray and split the Shiv Sena. Shinde was sworn in as CM on June 30 with the support of the BJP. This time, Fadnavis as made deputy CM.

Staunch Sharad Pawar loyalists switch sides

While Sharad Pawar took away senior Congress leaders Govindrao Adik, Sushilkumar Shinde in 1978, his nephew Ajit Pawar did a repeat by taking away staunch loyalists of the NCP supremo like Dilip Walse Patil, and Chhagan Bhujbal.

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This is an archive article published on July 2, 2023

Ajit Pawar, 8 NCP MLAs sworn into Maharashtra Cabinet: Here are noteworthy facts

NCP MLA Aditi Tatkare becomes the first woman minister in the Eknath Shinde government, which completed its first anniversary on June 30.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar addressed a press conference after he was sworn in as the Maharashtra Deputy CM. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)

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Ajit Pawar on Sunday joined hands with the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra to become the deputy chief minister, after leading a revolt in the NCP, triggering a split. Eight other NCP leaders, some of whom are close aides of Sharad Pawar, who hopes to become a key player in an anti-BJP front, took oath as ministers in the Shinde-Fadnavis government.

Here are some noteworthy facts:

01
Ajit Pawar becomes Deputy CM for fifth time
Ajit Pawar has served as deputy CM five times, including twice before 2019 in a Congress-led government. In November 2019 after the Assembly polls and the split between the BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena, the government of Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, who were sworn in at a early morning ceremony by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, lasted just 80 hours as Pawar junior was unable to cause a split in his party.
02
Pawar to serve under 3rd CM in under four years
It is for the third time under four years that Ajit Pawar dons the role of deputy chief minister under three chief ministers--Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde.
03
State sees four oath-taking ceremonies in 4 years
The swearing-in of Ajit Pawar and several of his colleagues as deputy chief minister and ministers has meant Maharashtra has seen four oath-taking ceremonies in as many years at its stately Raj Bhavan. In November 2019, after the Assembly polls and the split between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena, Devendra Fadnavis and NCP's Ajit Pawar were sworn in as CM and Deputy CM, respectively, in an early morning ceremony in Raj Bhavan. The government lasted just 80 hours as Pawar was unable to cause a split in his party.

Within a month, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as CM after his party joined hands with the NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Agahdi government. The MVA government fell in June last year after minister Eknath Shinde and 39 MLAs revolted against Thackeray and split the Shiv Sena. Shinde was sworn in as CM on June 30 with the support of the BJP. This time, Fadnavis as made deputy CM.
04
First woman minister in CM Shinde's Cabinet
Aditi Tatkare represents Shrivardhan in Raigad district and is the daughter of Sunil Tatkare, NCP MP from Raigad, and close aide of Ajit Pawar. She also becomes the first woman minister in the Eknath Shinde government, which completed its first anniversary on June 30.

Incidentally, Aditi Tatkare had the maximum number of portfolios in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government under Uddhav Thackeray, which fell in June last year.
05
Staunch Sharad Pawar loyalists switch sides
While Sharad Pawar took away senior Congress leaders Govindrao Adik, Sushilkumar Shinde in 1978, his nephew Ajit Pawar did a repeat by taking away staunch loyalists of the NCP supremo like Dilip Walse Patil, and Chhagan Bhujbal.