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Express News Service
MUMBAI: In a big jolt to Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra as deputy chief minister, while eight others from the party took oath as ministers.
The sudden move also means a vertical split in the NCP, founded by Ajit Pawar’s uncle Sharad Pawar in 1999. However, Ajit Pawar claimed there was no split in the party and that he and his supporters would contest all future elections on the party’s name and symbol.
Earlier in the day, Ajit Pawar called a meeting of the MLAs and leaders supporting him at his residence. Later, they went to the Raj Bhavan. Around 30 NCP MLAs have reportedly extended support to Ajit Pawar. NCP has 53 MLAs and nine MLCs. Elections to the 288-member state Assembly are due next year.
Apart from Ajit Pawar, the other NCP leaders who took oath as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government on Sunday are Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare, Dharmarao Atram, Anil Patil and Sanjay Bansode.
NCP working president Praful Patel and general secretary Sunil Tatkare were also present at the Raj Bhavan ceremony along with CM Shinde and deputy CM Fadnavis. This is not the first time that Ajit Pawar has become deputy CM. He was deputy CM in the short-lived Devendra Fadnavis government in 2019. He was again made deputy CM in the Uddhav Thackeray government the same year. Before that, he served as deputy CM in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
According to sources, the NCP leader’s decision to join the Shinde-Fadnavis government was finalised after he, along with Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, met Union home minister Amit Shah recently in Delhi. “After splitting the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the BJP wanted to break the NCP and dent Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 elections,” said a senior leader, adding that the real target was Sharad Pawar. Soon after taking oath as deputy CM, Ajit Pawar praised PM Narendra Modi for his governance focusing on development. “I will try to get maximum funds for Maharashtra from the Centre,” he said.
Corruption cases against NCP leaders
Ajit Pawar: Faces money-laundering probe by ED in connection with alleged financial irregularities at Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank
Chhagan Bhujbal: Spent time in jail after ED arrested him in connection with awarding multi-crore contracts to build Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi
Hasan Mushrif: Faced multiple raids by the income tax dept and ED in connection with alleged irregularities in the functioning of Sar Senapati Santaji Ghorpade Sugar Factory linked to his family
Sunil Tatkare: Faces corruption, money laundering probes. His daughter Aditi on Sunday took oath as the first woman minister in the Shinde-Fadnavis govt
Praful Patel: Faced money-laundering probe by ED
MUMBAI: In a big jolt to Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra as deputy chief minister, while eight others from the party took oath as ministers.
The sudden move also means a vertical split in the NCP, founded by Ajit Pawar’s uncle Sharad Pawar in 1999. However, Ajit Pawar claimed there was no split in the party and that he and his supporters would contest all future elections on the party’s name and symbol.
Earlier in the day, Ajit Pawar called a meeting of the MLAs and leaders supporting him at his residence. Later, they went to the Raj Bhavan. Around 30 NCP MLAs have reportedly extended support to Ajit Pawar. NCP has 53 MLAs and nine MLCs. Elections to the 288-member state Assembly are due next year.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Apart from Ajit Pawar, the other NCP leaders who took oath as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government on Sunday are Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare, Dharmarao Atram, Anil Patil and Sanjay Bansode.
NCP working president Praful Patel and general secretary Sunil Tatkare were also present at the Raj Bhavan ceremony along with CM Shinde and deputy CM Fadnavis. This is not the first time that Ajit Pawar has become deputy CM. He was deputy CM in the short-lived Devendra Fadnavis government in 2019. He was again made deputy CM in the Uddhav Thackeray government the same year. Before that, he served as deputy CM in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
According to sources, the NCP leader’s decision to join the Shinde-Fadnavis government was finalised after he, along with Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, met Union home minister Amit Shah recently in Delhi. “After splitting the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the BJP wanted to break the NCP and dent Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 elections,” said a senior leader, adding that the real target was Sharad Pawar. Soon after taking oath as deputy CM, Ajit Pawar praised PM Narendra Modi for his governance focusing on development. “I will try to get maximum funds for Maharashtra from the Centre,” he said.
Corruption cases against NCP leaders
Ajit Pawar: Faces money-laundering probe by ED in connection with alleged financial irregularities at Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank
Chhagan Bhujbal: Spent time in jail after ED arrested him in connection with awarding multi-crore contracts to build Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi
Hasan Mushrif: Faced multiple raids by the income tax dept and ED in connection with alleged irregularities in the functioning of Sar Senapati Santaji Ghorpade Sugar Factory linked to his family
Sunil Tatkare: Faces corruption, money laundering probes. His daughter Aditi on Sunday took oath as the first woman minister in the Shinde-Fadnavis govt
Praful Patel: Faced money-laundering probe by ED
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