Ajit \'dada\' offered us ministerial posts to switch sides: NCP MLAs tell Pawar, Uddhav

Mumbai: NCP chief Sharad Pawar along with Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray met the legislators of Nationalist Congress Party at a hotel in Mumbai on Sunday.

They told the duo that they were getting calls from Ajit Pawar, offering them ministerial posts.

According to sources in NCP, Sharad Pawar asked the legislators whether they are facing any problem in the emerging political situation in the state.

To which, some of the MLAs told the leaders that they were getting calls from Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar offering ministerial posts to them.

"Do not worry. This relationship will go long. Our alliance will go a long way," the sources quoted Uddhav as telling the MLAs.

Soon after meeting the MLAs, Pawar and Thackeray held a closed-door discussion at Renaissance Hotel where NCP MLAs have been put up after Ajit Pawar chose to support the BJP in government formation.

Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Raut, Eknath Shinde, Subhash Desai, and NCP leader Sunil Tatkare were among the leaders who were present during the meeting with the MLAs.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, also the nephew of Sharad Pawar, said the BJP and he will ensure a stable government in the state.

"Thank you Honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi ji. We will ensure a stable Government that will work hard for the welfare of the people of Maharashtra," he tweeted while replying to Prime Minister Modi's tweet wishing him for taking oath as Deputy Chief Minister.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court, while hearing a joint plea by NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena, asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar, and the Centre to produce relevant documents and letters of support from MLAs by 10 am on Monday.

In a surprise move on Saturday morning, Fadnavis and Ajit took oath as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

Soon after the swearing-in, Sharad Pawar had said that Ajit's decision to support the BJP was a "personal decision" and not supported by the NCP.

Ajit was later sacked as the NCP's legislator party leader, stripping his rights to issue a whip to the party MLAs.

The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.

NCP on Saturday moved 44 out of 54 MLAs to the Renaissance Hotel here on Saturday. The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.

 

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