In a shocking political development, Ajit Pawar, a prominent leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the nephew of veteran politician Sharad Pawar, has dealt a severe blow to the party that his uncle founded and has led through various challenges for the past 24 years. Ajit Pawar's decision to break away from the NCP and join forces with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Maharashtra. This move comes as a significant setback to Sharad Pawar's attempts to forge a formidable opposition alliance against the ruling government.
1. NCP's Turmoil: Ajit Pawar, a prominent leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the nephew of Sharad Pawar, poses a significant challenge to his uncle's party by breaking away with several NCP MLAs, risking the party's stability that Sharad Pawar has nurtured for over two decades.
2. BJP's Strategic Move: In a remarkable turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) successfully disrupts the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) opposition alliance in Maharashtra for the second time in two years. Ajit Pawar's defection follows the previous departure of Eknath Shinde, who took 40 Shiv Sena MLAs with him.
3. Swearing-in Ceremony: Ajit Pawar, along with eight other party leaders, took oath and joined the Maharashtra government. He assumes the role of Deputy Chief Minister, sharing the position with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis.
4. Prominent Attendees: The oath ceremony witnessed the presence of influential leaders such as Praful Patel, recently appointed working president of the NCP, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Ramraje Nimbalkar, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode, Dharmrav Baba Atram, and Anil Bhaidas Patil.
5. Cabinet Expansion: Devendra Fadnavis, BJP leader, had earlier indicated that the Maharashtra cabinet would be expanded soon, leading to speculation about potential political developments.
6. Meetings with BJP: Eknath Shinde, in a separate incident, had recently met BJP leaders in Delhi, raising eyebrows and fueling speculation about the future of the MVA alliance.
7. Triple Engine Government: Eknath Shinde, expressing his thoughts after the ceremony, acknowledged the new dynamics, highlighting that Maharashtra now has one Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers, terming it a "triple-engine" government that will leverage Ajit Pawar's experience for the state's development.
8. Internal Party Dynamics: Ajit Pawar's decision to step down as the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, along with Supriya Sule's elevation as the NCP's national president after Sharad Pawar's surprising resignation offer, reveals the evolving internal dynamics of the party.
9. NCP's Options: While Ajit Pawar claims the support of over 40 NCP MLAs out of the total 53 in the state assembly, the NCP can still pursue disqualification proceedings against the rebel MLAs under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. Ajit Pawar needs to establish himself as the original NCP by approaching the Election Commission of India under the Symbols Order.
10. Coalition Challenges: The Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, which includes the NCP, faces its second major setback in a year. Previously, the Shiv Sena experienced a mutiny that led to the collapse of Uddhav Thackeray's government, with support from rebel MLAs and the BJP's involvement. The BJP denied allegations of inducement and manipulation, emphasizing stability and good governance as the reasons for its intervention.
