The state of Maharashtra has been in a state of confusion ever since the Assembly Election results were announced. First, Shiv Sena demanded the Chief Minister position for son Aditya Thackeray and broke their alliance with BJP over it. Then, Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP started negotiation over government formation with days of inconclusive talks. Then, one morning, everyone woke up to Devendra Fadnavis of BJP and Ajit Pawar of NCP being sworn in as the Chief Minister and Deputy CM respectively.
Post the swearing-in of Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, the drama has reached an unprecedented level, dare we say, perhaps even more dramatic than the Karnataka fiasco. Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Shiv Sena have approached the Supreme Court to demand that a floor test be held immediately. Amidst accusations of MLAs being kidnapped, Sharad Pawar, while initially had distanced himself and the party from Ajit Pawar’s decision to ally with BJP, is yet to expel Ajit Pawar from the party rather inexplicably. He has said that this is a decision that has to be one by the party, and not his alone – non-committal at best.
A litany of leaders has met Ajit Pawar in an attempt to convince him to change his decision but to no avail. Three prominent leaders who met Ajit Pawar are Chagan Bhujbal, Jayant Patil and Dilip Walse Patil.
Sources in the know confirm Ajit Pawar categorically rejected the offers to come back to NCP and dilute his arrangement with BJP. Here is what he said:
Why not an NCP CM for 2.5 years?
Ajit Pawar told the leaders that Shiv Sena which has 56 MLAs wanted 2.5 years for the Chief Minister post when it was in alliance with BJP which has 105 seats. In the same scenario, now that Shiv Sena wants to ally with NCP, why is Uddhav Thackeray not giving NCP 2.5 years at the Chief Minister position since NCP has 54 MLAs? Ajit Pawar pointed out this discrepancy to the leaders and pointed out that NCP is kneeling to Shiv Sena, which according to numbers, is not required or desirable.
Alliance anti-democracy?
Ajit Pawar also questioned the leaders about his move being called anti-democracy by the NCP and its friendly parties. Ajit Pawar asked the leaders that if his decision to ally with BJP is anti-democracy, then how was Congress and NCP’s decision to ally with Shiv Sena democratic considering Shiv Sena fought in alliance with BJP and campaigned with worst words for Congress and NCP?
More stability
Ajit Pawar told the senior leaders that an NCP and BJP alliance would be far more stable than a three-party alliance with a party like Shiv Sena that can be a fickle friend.
Shiv Sena’s ‘questionable’ pride in Maharashtra
Ajit Pawar told the senior leaders of NCP who were trying to convince him that if Shiv Sena can remove word “Shiv” from Maha Shiv Aghadi just at the first instance of objection by Congress, how are they going to take forward pride of Maharashtra?
They couldn’t even manage BMC
Accusing Shiv Sena of being inadequate administrators, Ajit Pawar told the senior NCP leaders that Shiv Sena has not even managed to handle BMC adequately and handing them the reigns of the entire state can only be bad for Maharashtra. Besides, he also said that nobody would trust Shiv Sena to run the state adequately.
