Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Sunday that Ajit Pawar, the newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister, has always been committed to politics of development. Pawar, who previously split from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), took his oath alongside senior NCP leaders Praful Patel, Amol Kolhe, and Sunil Tatkare.
Shinde revealed that out of the 54 NCP MLAs, 35 were present at the Raj Bhavan along with Ajit Pawar. It is believed that Pawar enjoys the support of over 40 legislators. Following Pawar, several other NCP MLAs including Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Valse-Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Dharmaraobaba Bhagwantrao Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode, and Anil Patil were also sworn in as ministers. Pawar announced that a few more NCP MLAs will join the ministry shortly.
In a media briefing after taking his oath, Pawar stated that his decision to join the government was motivated by a desire to solve the problems faced by the people of Maharashtra. Chief Minister Shinde expressed his optimism that Pawar’s inclusion would provide additional momentum to the government’s development agenda, as it is already working towards progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This move by Pawar has caused a vertical split in the NCP, reminiscent of a similar split engineered by Shinde in the Shiv Sena against former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray a year ago. It is worth noting that Ajit Pawar had previously served as Deputy Chief Minister for only two days before resigning due to a failure to garner enough support for a formal split in the legislative party.
Pawar’s decision to join Shiv Sena-BJP’s government is expected to strengthen the political landscape in Maharashtra and facilitate further progress in the state’s development. With the combined efforts of the double engine government (Shiv Sena and BJP) and Ajit Pawar, the state has now gained a triple engine for progress and prosperity.
The inclusion of Ajit Pawar will undoubtedly impact Maharashtra’s political landscape. As the government moves forward, it is essential to maintain a balanced view of the situation, considering different perspectives and opinions. This development marks a significant turning point in the state’s political dynamics, and it remains to be seen how it will shape Maharashtra’s future.
