Ajit Pawar assures ‘stable govt’ in Maharashtra, NCP chief says no question of aligning with BJP

Ajit Pawar’s remarks signal that he had spurned all efforts by his uncle and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to persuade him to resign from the deputy chief minister’s post.

Thank you Hon. Prime Minister @narendramodi ji. We will ensure a stable Government that will work hard for the welfare of the people of Maharashtra. https://t.co/3tT2fQKgPi

— Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) November 24, 2019

He further said that he was still with the NCP and Sharad Pawar was the leader. “I am in the NCP and shall always be in the NCP and Sharad Pawar saheb is our leader,” Ajit Pawar tweeted.

“There is absolutely no need to worry, all is well. However, a little patience is required. Thank you very much for all your support,” he said.

I am in the NCP and shall always be in the NCP and @PawarSpeaks Saheb is our leader.

Our BJP-NCP alliance shall provide a stable Government in Maharashtra for the next five years which will work sincerely for the welfare of the State and its people.

— Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) November 24, 2019

Sharad Pawar, who earlier in the day held a meeting of Shiv Sena-NCP MLAs along with Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai, said Ajit’s statement was misleading and aimed at creating confusion.

Sharad Pawar arrives at Renaissance Hotel, Powai. (Express Photo: Amit Chakravarty)

“There is no question of forming an alliance with BJP. NCP has unanimously decided to ally with Shiv Sena and Congress to form the government. Ajit Pawar’s statement is false and misleading in order to create confusion and false perception among the people,” Sharad Pawar said.

There is no question of forming an alliance with @BJP4Maharashtra.
NCP has unanimously decided to ally with @ShivSena & @INCMaharashtra to form the government. Shri Ajit Pawar’s statement is false and misleading in order to create confusion and false perception among the people.

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) November 24, 2019

On Saturday, Sharad Pawar had deployed senior leader and Ajit’s close confidants, including party MP Sunil Tatkare, former minister Hasan Mushrif, along with former Assembly Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil, to reach out to Ajit Pawar, who had moved to a relative’s apartment in South Mumbai after the swearing-in.

Ajit Pawar, who updated his designation on his Twitter profile to ‘Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra’ and ‘Nationalist Congress Party leader’, thanked Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Ministers J P Nadda, Smriti Irani and other BJP leaders who congratulated him.

In a dramatic turn of events on Saturday, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari swore in Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister and Ajit as Deputy CM, throwing off gear the NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress combine’s efforts on forming a coalition government.

Ajit Pawar leaving his residence in Churchgate. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Hours later, the NCP removed Ajit Pawar as the party’s legislature unit head, saying his move was not in line with the party’s policies.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to place before it by Monday 10.30 am the letters of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari inviting Devendra Fadnavis and of the BJP leader staking his claim to form the government in the state.

However, the three-judge bench, headed by Justice N V Ramana and comprising of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna, did not grant any interim relief to the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress combine to direct the Fadnavis government to undertake floor test within 24 hours.