Mumbai: Ajit Pawar's induction as the deputy chief minister is now a foregone conclusion in the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. After flopped coup when he took oath as DyCM along with BJP leader Fadnavis, Ajit is back in the party and a majority of the party legislators want him as DyCM as they feel he gives results and his presence in the cabinet will give stability to the government.
Of the 54 NCP legislators, most of them say Ajit Pawar has a command over administration and will help actively pursue works from their respective constituencies.
They argue Ajit Pawar as DyCM in the cabinet will help NCP consolidate taking advantage of his leadership and power. As reported by FPJ, CM Uddhav is set to expand his cabinet on Dec 30.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CM Uddhav Thackeray on Monday reportedly cleared Ajit’s induction as DyCM.
On Nov 23, Ajit Pawar had been sworn in along with the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis in a surprise early morning ceremony. That arrangement lasted only 80 hours as Ajit Pawar failed to bring in more NCP legislators to sustain the coup.
Popularly known as Ajit Dada among his supporters, Ajit Pawar has in the past served as DyCM for two short-lived terms when Congress-NCP was in power before 2014.
The trigger for Ajit's induction as Thackeray's deputy is Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s Dec 21 statement that Ajit will be DyCM. Raut gave his comment after the Anti Corruption Bureau last week gave a clean chit to Ajit Pawar in the in connection with the Vidarbha irrigation scam.
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told FPJ, “Already Raut has declared that Ajit Pawar will be DyCM in Thackeray government.'' He said Pawar senior and CM Thackeray will decide Ajit Pawar's fate.
It was Pawar senior's decision not to induct Ajit Pawar on Nov 28 to avoid criticism from ally Congress and Opposition BJP.
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