'I had nothing to do with Ajit's decision'

Udhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar during the press meet at YB Chavan Auditorium. Pic/ Suresh Karkera

As the city woke up to political drama at its best early Saturday morning, with Devendra Fadnavis taking oath as Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the second time and NCP leader Ajit Pawar being sworn in as deputy chief minister, NCP chief Sharad Pawar at a joint press conference with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said their parties and the Congress were still together. Sharad Pawar also alleged foul play in government formation, saying the NCP MLAs who went along with Ajit Pawar had been misled.

As there was news making the rounds in political circles that some NCP MLAs were present with Ajit Pawar during the swearing-in at Raj Bhavan, NCP MLAs Rajendra Shingane, Sandip Kshirsagar and Sunil Bhusara clarified at the press conference that when they were called by Ajit Pawar they were unaware that it was for the swearing-in. They said they were with NCP Chief Sharad Pawar and would support the party. Sharad Pawar, while speaking to reporters, also made it clear that he did not endorse the decision by Ajit Pawar.

"The decision taken by Ajit Pawar to support the BJP in forming the government is his personal decision and
not that of NCP," Sharad Pawar said.

During the press conference, Pawar also indirectly warned the MLAs who were with Ajit Pawar, about the anti-defection law. He hinted that if a re-election took place in the constituencies from where the MLAs left, then all three parties would join hands and defeat those who had left.

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