Just when you thought that Maharashtra mystery was solved with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray leading the charge of the state by being the CM, the entire game went for a toss overnight, leaving the people, the Shiv Sena and the Congress stunned.
BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Maharashtra chief minister and NCP’s Ajit Pawar as his deputy in an early morning political strike that raised many eyebrows.
“I would like to express my gratitude to NCP’s Ajit Pawar ji, he took this decision to give a stable government to Maharashtra & come together with BJP. Some other leaders also came with us and we staked claim to form government.,” Fadnavis said shortly after being sworn in.
Ajit, nephew of Sharad Pawar, said, “I took this decision as the discussions of the alliance of the three parties Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena was not ending. There was a need to give a stable government in Maharashtra.”
This came only hours after the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress went through the final motions of forming a new coalition government with NCP chief Sharad Pawar saying there was “unanimity” over Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister.
Refuting reports that Ajit took the decision in tune with Sharad Pawar, the senior Pawar leader clarified saying, “Ajit Pawar’s decision to support the BJP to form the Maharashtra Government is his personal decision and not that of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). We place on record that we do not support or endorse this decision of his,” Sharad Pawar tweeted.
Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, who had been the most vocal on the proposed alliance, said Sena chief Thackeray was in touch with the senior Pawar, and that Ajit had backstabbed all of them.
Shortly after the swearing-in, Prime Minister Narendra tweeted his congratulations to both Fadnavis and Pawar by tweeting, “Congratulations to @Dev_Fadnavis Ji and @AjitPawarSpeaks Ji on taking oath as the CM and Deputy CM of Maharashtra respectively. I am confident they will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra.” (sic)
Soon after, BJP president and Union Home Minister, Amit Shah also congratulated the leaders.