Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo’s daughter Supriya Sule, grandson Parth and nephew Ajit Pawar would be the part of the new power game in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar would be joining the Uddhav Thackeray-led government after the short-lived rebellion that saw him taking oath as deputy to the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis four days ago. That was the game played by NCP to revoke president rule and by time to prove majority.
Ajit Pawar told AV, “I will accept whatever responsibilities would be given to me in the Uddhav Thackeray government. The decision to induct me in the cabinet is to be taken by Thackeray as Chief Minister,” “I am not unhappy with anyone. “I have nothing to say (right now), I will speak at the right time. I had said earlier also, I am in the NCP and I will remain in the NCP. There is no reason to create confusion,” Ajit Pawar cracked at reporters.
Ajit was given a warm welcome hug by his cousin Supriya Sule, the daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, as he arrived at the Maharashtra assembly to take an oath. Ajit Pawar, 60, quit as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Tuesday, 80 hours after the controversial 7.50 am swearing in that was challenged in the Supreme Court by his party, the Shiv Sena and the Congress. Both Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar resigned after the Supreme Court ordered the BJP government to prove its majority in an immediate floor test. The BJP, with 105 MLAs, had hoped to make the 145-majority mark with NCP MLAs but Ajit Pawar failed to pull in any. Uddhav Thackeray sworn in as Chief Minister on Thursday of a Sena-NCP-Congress alliance that claims the support of 162 MLAs, well past the 145-majority mark in the 288-member assembly.
Sunil Tatkare was among the NCP leaders who was in regular touch with Ajit Pawar and is among the leaders credited with bringing him around. “Now everything is over. Ajit-dada is back, all is well. Under his leadership and with the blessings of Sharad Pawar, we will work in Maharashtra,” Tatkare told reporters.
Ajit Pawar’s nephew Rohit Pawar, also an MLA, said the Pawars’ “stand united” and will remain so. On Ajit Pawar’s shocking overnight shift and oath, he said: “I could not believe how it happened. As a worker, I did not go into the details of it. There was some confusion and being a family member, I could not understand what was happening.” “But we were sure (about his return). We knew Dada well.” Rohit Pawar is the grandson of Sharad Pawar’s older brother Appasaheb Pawar. There are speculations that in Thackeray government, Supriya Sule, Rohit Pawar and Ajit all would be given equal opportunity. At the same time Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya will also hold an important portfolio.
