Ajit Pawar splits NCP, takes oath as Maharashtra Dy CM Shinde

NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra and took oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday in a surprise and dramatic political move that changed political equations in the state ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly polls next year and has ramifications for national politics.

The day of hectic political developments in Maharashtra saw state Chief Minister Eknath Shinde using "hit wicket" cricket parlance in an apparent response to "googly' analogy used earlier by NCP leader Sharad Pawar to target BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The move by Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, which also saw eight other NCP MLAs joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, came amid efforts by opposition parties to forge unity to take on the BJP in the next year's Lok Sabha polls. Sharad Pawar, a former Mahrashtra Chief Minister, has been a key leader in opposition unity efforts.

Hitting out at NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shinde said that some people were talking about "googly" but everyone saw who was clean bowled and "it's a hit wicket".

"This is not a new government, Shiv Sena and BJP government were functioning under PM Modi's leadership. Development work was going on and Ajit Pawar who believed in the development work, supported and joined the government," CM Shinde said.

"I welcome him and his MLAs wholeheartedly. He has a lot of MPs and MLAs which will definitely help in the development of Maharashtra. This double-engine government will now run at the speed of a bullet train. MVA government is broken... Some people were talking about googly and clean bowled, but everyone saw today who was clean bowled...it's a hit wicket", Shinde added.

Ajit Pawar's move in some ways resembled the split in Shiv Sena almost a year back which led to Shinde becoming Chief Minister. The move came over three-and-a-half years after Fadnavis took oath as Chief Minister and Ajit Pawar as deputy CM at an early morning swearing-in ceremony, but their government did not last long.

Ajit Pawar, who was the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, claimed all MLAs are with him.

"We have all the numbers. All MLAs are with me. We are here as a party. We have informed all seniors also. The majority is given importance in a democracy. Our party is 24-year old and young leadership should come forward," Ajit Pawar said after taking oath as Deputy Chief Minister. Former union minister Praful Patel was also with him.

He said that a few other ministers would be added in the next expansion.

"We took a decision to come with the Shinde-Fadanvis govt with almost all MLAs of NCP. We took the oath and a few other ministers will be added in the next expansion", Ajit Pawar said.

State Governor Ramesh Bais administered the oath to Ajit Pawar and other ministers - Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Dharmarao Baba Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Patil.

Shinde also said that the double-engine government in the state has now become "triple-engine and it will run like a bullet train".

"Now we have 1 Chief Minister and 2 Deputy Chief Ministers. The double-engine government has now become a triple-engine and now it will run like a bullet train. For the development of Maharashtra, I welcome Ajit Pawar and his leaders. Ajit Pawar's experience will help strengthen Maharashtra."

Sources said Ajit Pawar has the backing of more than 40 MLAs in the State Legislative Assembly.

Sharad Pawar, who had taken googly jibe at Fadnavis over the early morning swearing in ceremony in November 2019, slammed Ajit Pawar's move and said, "this is not 'googly', it is a robbery" and that he was worried about the future of those who left the party.

"One of my old relatives was a good bowler and used to bowl good googly. Many got clean bowled by his googly. I was president of ICC once, I may not know how to play cricket but I know how to bowl googly and take the wicket. Will he (Fadnavis) accept that he got out?" Sharad Pawar said on June 30.

Talking to reporters after his nephew's revolt, Sharad Pawar said he was not worried about what happened and will work to strengthen the party again.

He also hinted at action against party leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, saying they did not follow their responsibilities. Sharad Pawar said some of those who joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government were facing ED cases.

"Some of my colleagues have taken a different stand. I had called a meeting of all the leaders on July 6, where some important issue was to be discussed and some changes were to be made within the party but before that meeting, some of the leaders have taken a different stand."

Sharad Pawar said that in the next two-three days, they will sit with Congress and Uddhav Thackeray to access the situation. "Our main strength is the common people, they have elected us".

The NCP supremo said he had dealt with splits earlier and rejuvenated the party."This is not a new thing. The party I was leading in 1980 had 58 MLAs, later all left and only 6 MLAs left, but I strengthened the numbers and those who left me lost in their constituencies," he said.

The former union minister said he has been receiving calls from other opposition leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over developments in Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and its spokesperson Anand Dubey said that "BJP has a history of stabbing in the back".

"The leaders who were in the opposition and used to criticise the government until yesterday, have joined the same government today. Today BJP wanted Ajit Pawar, so they took him, but we should not forget that BJP has a history to stab in the back", Dubey said.

Uddhav Thackeray faction MP Sanjay Raut said that Maharashtra will get another CM in a few days.

"We already knew that this was going to happen. Eknath Shinde and the 16 MLAs that went with him will be disqualified. Maharashtra will get another CM in a few days", MP Sanjay Raut said.

"BJP is breaking opposition parties, they're making and breaking govts...the people who were accused of corruption by PM Modi, took oath today that means either those claims were wrong or BJP like corruptors when they join their party..."

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the BJP amid the turn of events, saying its "washing machine has resumed its operations".

"Clearly the BJP's Washing Machine has resumed its operations. A number of new entrants into the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra today had been facing serious corruption charges with ED, CBI and Income Tax authorities after them. Now they have all got a clean chit."

People's Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, said no words were enough to condemn the manner in which "the BJP has repeatedly undermined the popular mandate in Maharashtra".

This dramatic turn of events took place a year after Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena causing ouster of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government of Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray ended the party's long alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2019 and formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra with the Congress and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party.

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, which fought the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections together, won 161 seats (BJP - 105 and Shiv Sena - 56). The NCP got 54 seats while the Congress bagged 44 seats.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said "BJP is in power in the centre and misusing it. BJP is carrying out 'Operation Lotus'...ruining the politics of the country...BJP can do anything for power, they either scare members of other parties using ED & CBI or else will offer them money...people of Maharashtra is condemning this and BJP will never come back to power in this state".

NCP MP Supriya Sule described Ajit Pawar's revolt as painful.

"Whatever happened is painful. Sharad Pawar treated everyone like a family and he is our senior leader, I don't think speaking after his statement will be correct. His response was We are living in a democratic country where everyone has the right to speak for themselves and keep their points. Ajit Pawar's move is his own decision and point of view. My relationship with Ajit Pawar will not change, he will always remain my elder brother. We will rebuild the party," she said at a press conference.

Sharad Pawar had last month appointed Supriya Sule, his daughter, along with senior leader Praful Patel, as working presidents of the party.

He made the announcement at an event to mark the NCP's 24th anniversary in Delhi, in the presence of all top leaders of the party, including Ajit Pawar, who was not given any new role.

Speculation had been doing the rounds that Ajit Pawar is going closer to the BJP.

Forrmer Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan slammed Ajit Pawar and NCP MLAs over their joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party alliance.

"Maharashtra people know the backgrounds of those who took oath as ministers in the Maharashtra cabinet today. Pawar Saheb made them leaders, MPs or MLAs. Now, in order to shield themselves from ED's investigation, they joined hands with the BJP",Chavban told ANI.

"The 'ED' group of the NCP went with the BJP. Rest are with Pawar Saheb. The public is with Pawar Saheb. The public will never forgive them for the treason. The BJP witnessed the outcome of removing a democratically elected government in Karnataka. The same will happen to the Shinde group (Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde) and the Pawar group."

He said NCP has 53 MLAs and if more than 36 or 37 MLAs go with Ajit Pawar, then the anti-defection law would not be applicable to them. "If fewer than 35 MLAs remain with him, it is sure that they will be disqualified. The figure will come out tomorrow".

"Pawar Saheb said in a press conference that several MLAs informed him that they were tricked into signing the documents so they would be meeting Pawar Saheb. So, if more than 17 MLAs are with him, then all the MLAs of Ajit Pawar's group will be disqualified. Otherwise, it will be considered a split within the party," Chavan said.