As rumours are abuzz about the exit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction consisting of about 40+ MLAs anchored by Ajit Pawar and them joining the BJP, it is reminiscent of him forming the government with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) parting ways with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar in November 2019.
In a massive development according to various sources, three NCP MLAs have already shown their readiness to side with Ajit Pawar in case he is planning to join the saffron party. Moreover, the speaker of the Maharashtra assembly Rahul Narwekar of the BJP curtailed his Japan visit and is returning to Maharashtra, said sources to Republic TV. In another development, former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also removed the NCP logo from his Twitter handle on April 18. Additionally, they also informed NCP leader Praful Patel and a close confidante of the party Supremo Sharad Pawar, which is also likely to shift along with 40+ MLAs to the BJP.
2019 early morning Oath ceremony
It’s important to recall BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis in an early morning political strike was sworn in as Maharashtra chief minister and NCP’s Ajit Pawar as his deputy in November 2019. The development stunned both Shiv Sena and Congress.
Shortly after taking oath in a hush-hush ceremony, Fadnavis said, “I would like to express my gratitude to NCP’s Ajit Pawar ji, he took this decision to give a stable government to Maharashtra and come together with BJP. Some other leaders also came with us and we staked claim to form government.”
Ajit Pawar said, “I took this decision as the discussions of the alliance of the three parties Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena was not ending. There was a need to give a stable government in Maharashtra.” Sharad Pawar after the coup by Ajit Pawar stated it was Ajit’s personal decision and that he was removed from the post of the legislative party leader. He later did a joint press conference with Uddhav Thackeray and said only ’10-11 NCP MLAs’ are with Ajit Pawar and they were forced to change sides. Sharad Pawar also said Ajit might have gone to the Governor with a false list of signatures of the MLAs for registering attendance.
