Ajit Pawar's inclusion to power triple engine govt in Maharashtra, says Eknath Shinde

Pic/Shadab Khan

After Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister of the state. Following the swearing-in, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the double-engine government "got a third engine".

"Now we have one Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers. The double-engine government is now a triple engine. For the development of Maharashtra, I welcome Ajit Pawar and his leaders. Ajit Pawar's experience will help strengthen Maharashtra," Eknath Shinde was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

"There is enough time to discuss seat sharing in the cabinet. We have come together to develop Maharashtra. They (the opposition) got four-five seats in Lok Sabha elections. This time they will not manage to get even that number of seats," he added.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s senior leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday joined Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra and took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state.

While Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister by Governor Ramesh Bais at the ceremony held in the Raj Bhawan, eight other NCP leaders took oath as ministers.

Those who were sworn in as ministers are Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare, Dharmarao Atram, Anil Patil and Sanjay Bansode.

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who was present in the Raj Bhawan, said Ajit Pawar has resigned as the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Lower House and he has accepted it.

Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal and NCP working president Praful Patel were also present in the Raj Bhawan.

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday claimed 40 of 53 MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party are supporting the state government.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar is undeterred by the split in his party and can start afresh.

In a tweet, Raut said, "I just spoke with NCP Sharad Pawar. He said he is firm and people's support is behind us. We can make a fresh start with Uddhav Thackeray."

Raut said people of Maharashtra will not tolerate such a "circus", an apparent reference to government formation through vertical splits in political parties, for long.

"Some people seem to be determined to completely spoil Maharashtra's politics. Let them proceed on their chosen path," said Raut, in an apparent reference to Ajit Pawar, CM Shinde and the BJP.

Elections to the 288-member state Assembly are due next year.

The political development comes a year after a revolt led by Shinde against the Shiv Sena (then undivided) led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

On June 30, 2022, Shinde sworn in as the CM with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis as the deputy CM.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)