Ajit Pawar's 2019 move to join hands with Fadnavis was Sharad Pawar's 'googly', claims BJP's Girish Mahajan

Girish Mahajan. File Pic

Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan on Monday said the swearing in of Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister under Devendra Fadnavis after the Assembly polls in 2019 was a "googly" of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar, reported the PTI.

After the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) broke their alliance post the 2019 Assembly polls, in a surprise move, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar joined hands to form government, which, however, collapsed in 80 hours.

IN PHOTOS: Sharad Pawar hold discussions with activists and experts

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"After 2014, many political events took place in Maharashtra and the NCP had an important role to play in them. The swearing in of Ajit Pawar after the 2019 polls was decided and Sharad Pawar had a role to play. Sharad Pawar cannot deny it," Girish Mahajan said in Nashik, according to the PTI.

Girish Mahajan claimed the NCP chief had assured the BJP of support and had attended four meetings in Delhi after the 2019 state polls.

"After the early morning swearing in ceremony, Sharad Pawar said it was the BJP's move but it was his own googly. He has a tradition of doing such things," Girish Mahajan claimed, as per the PTI.

The Maharashtra minister claimed Ajit Pawar was also part of these meetings and the claim to form a government (in 2019) was on the basis of NCP's assurances of support, Girish Mahajan said, the news agency reported on Monday.

Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar on Monday discussed the current "social, economic and political situation" in the country with activists and experts from various fields invited by him, according to the PTI.

Had a meeting with activists and experts from various fields and discussed increasing participation of people on changing the current conditions. A detailed discussion on the social, economic and political situation in the country," Sharad Pawar posted on X.

The meeting was attended by Rajya Sabha member Kumar Ketkar, Ram Puniyani, Irfan Engineer, member of MKCL Farida Lambay, Saba Khan, Ulka Mahajan and Shaheen Kadri among others, he said.

The Pawar senior had targeted the Centre over action by investigating agencies against opposition leaders. He had also accused the BJP of breaking duly elected governments in various states.

In July, the NCP founded by Sharad Pawar plunged into crisis after his nephew Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra.

(with PTI inputs)