After nine leaders joined the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government, will hold a meeting on Wednesday to decide the future course of action. NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s nephew is among the nine leaders who have joined the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde camp)’s alliance. Ajit Pawar has also been sworn-in as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Yesterday, Ajit Pawar inaugurated the new office of NCP, which is the bungalow of Ambadas Danve, Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council and a loyalist of Uddhav Thackeray. Danve has been allotted another bungalow. Ajit Pawar used Sharad’s photo at his new office inviting criticism from Uncle Sharad itself. “Those who betrayed my ideology and with whom I have ideological differences cannot use my photograph”, the veteran politician told the media.
Earlier in the day, both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party held simultaneous meetings, in a test of their strengths.
The NCP led by Sharad Pawar held a meeting of its members at YB Chavan Auditorium in Mumbai while Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar held a separate meeting of NCP MPs, MLAs, MLCs, district heads, and state delegates at Mumbai Education Trust (MET) Bandra.
Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, MP and party leaders Anil Deshmukh, Balasaheb Patil, Ashok Pawar, Jayant Patil and Rohit Pawar were among those present.
The crisis in Nationalist Congress Party was triggered by Ajit Pawar switching sides on Sunday and joining the Eknath Shinde-BJP government as Deputy Chief Minister. Eight other NCP MLAs took oath on Sunday with Pawar as ministers.
Sharad Pawar termed the meeting as “historic” while coming down heavily on the rival group led by his nephew saying they had not “followed procedure.
