Maharashtra politics turns murky: Devendra Fadnavis sworn in as CM, Ajit Pawar his deputy; Sharad Pawar says NCP got nothing to do with move

In a big blow to the Shiv Sena, the political deadlock in Maharashtra was at last terminated when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) formed the government in the state, with Devendra Fadnavis taking oath as the chief minister of Maharashtra, while NCP’s Ajit Pawar as his deputy chief minister. After being sworn-in to the chief ministerial post for the second consecutive term, Fadnavis said that the state needed a stable government and not a Khichdi government. “People had given us a clear mandate, but Shiv Sena tried to ally with other parties after results, as a result President’s rule was imposed. Maharashtra needed a stable govt not a khichdi government,” Fadnavis told ANI. BJP, with 105 seats forged alliance with the NCP which bagged 54 seats to garner the majority figure. However, in another turn of event, Sharad Pawar has claimed that he unaware about Ajit Pawar’s move until 7 am on Saturday. Refusing to comment any further on the issue, the NCP chief said he will hold a press conference later.

Ajit Pawar said that NCP chose to go with the BJP for government formation in the state so that the problems faced by the farmers are resolved at the earliest. “After results, no government was formed. There are many problems including that of farmers and if a government is formed then these issues would be resolved at the earliest. That’s why we have decided to form the government and taken this decision,” Ajit told ANI after taking oath. The move came at a time when deliberations between Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena seemingly reached the final stage on Friday. Earlier on Friday evening, Sharad Pawar had claimed that there was a consensus on Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister of the alliance government. The BJP, which emerged as the single largest party, could not stake claim to form a government as its former ally Shiv Sena remained firm on rotating the chief minister’s post and equal sharing of Cabinet berths. Shiv Sena parted its ways with BJP to explore ways to form a government. It, however, failed to prove the support of the required number of MLAs in the time given by state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The governor had then invited NCP, the third-largest party, to prove its ability to form the government failing which President’s Rule was imposed in the state. The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member Assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.