Explained: How BJP formed government in Maharashtra from nowhere?
Ajit Pawar’s move is speculated due to political pressure
Ajit Pawar, who was criticized by BJP for alleged corruption, helped the party retain its power on Saturday morning from nowhere. He took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister alongside Devendra Fandanvis, who took oath as Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Ajit Pawar’s surprising move has split the NCP and the Pawar family. Sharad Pawar alleged that Ajit has misused letters-of-support collected from party MLAs for the Shiv Sena- NCP-Congress coalition government. NCP has removed Ajit Pawar as the leader of the legislature party. However, Sharad Pawar hinted that there hasn’t been any decision on his expulsion from the party.
NCP was all set to form the government with Shiv Sena and Congress but things changed overnight.
NCP was all set to form the government with Shiv Sena and Congress till Friday Night. Even Uddhav Thackeray was chosen as the Chief Minister but Saturday-morning-news changed everything. He hadn’t hinted of a switch, even when he attended Sena- NCP-Congress meeting on Friday night. Shiv Sena’s leader Sanjay Raut said that he had noticed something awry in the body language of Junior Ajit Pawar. Raut said that Pawar was not looking him in the eye and went AWOL during the night, his phone was unreachable.
It is speculated that Ajit Pawar, seen as the heir to NCP after Sharad Pawar may have broken ranks to ensure safety against prosecution. He is currently an accused in irrigation scam and a bank embezzlement case. He was reportedly in touch with Fadanvis for days.
Sources say that Ajit Pawar, deputy chief of NCP, was worried that his uncle might ditch him in favor of his daughter Supriya Sule. The two cousins don’t share a good bond between them.
Another NCP leader Dhananjay Munde has sided with BJP
During the joint press conference after the Maharashtra Coup of Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar, another NCP leader Dhananjay Munde was missing. It is believed that he has also sided with Ajit Pawar.
Ajit Pawar was earlier forced to resign from Deputy CM post in the Congress-NCP government in 2014. He was forced to resign over allegations that he was involved in Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam. Later after BJP came in power, Devendra Fadanvis sanctioned an anti-corruption investigation against the junior Pawar. The Enforcement Directorate filed a charge sheet against Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar in a cooperative Bank Scam over money-laundering.
Read more: Controversial Sadhvi Pragya nominated in defence panel: Important points
Ajit Pawar then resigned as the MLA and surprised everyone. He said that, he doesn’t want his uncle to be defamed. The Junior Pawar was also under pressure as he believed that his status was diminishing in the last few years. His son Parth also lost the national election earlier this year.
His name also got footfalls when Rs 5 lakh was seized from a car in his convoy at the peak time of the Maharashtra campaign. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that before the assembly election in Maharashtra, BJP had said that Ajit will be thrown in Arthur Road Jail over-irrigation scam.
Immediately after Ajit Pawar decision of going with BJP, Sharad Pawar said that his nephew had gone rogue and his decision was personal, not supported by the party.
Have a news story, an interesting write-up or simply a suggestion? Write to us at info@oneworldnews.com
