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No official support from party: NCP on Ajit Pawar's move

Last updated on: July 02, 2023 16:50 IST

Nationalist Congress Party spokesperson Mahesh Tapase on Sunday said the oath taken by nine NCP MLAs as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government does not have official support of the party.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais congratulates the newly sworn-in Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar during a ceremony, at Raj Bhavan, in Mumbai on Sunday. State Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis is also seen. Photograph: ANI Photo

Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister while eight MLAs of the party took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party earlier in the day.

In a video message, Tapase said NCP's party workers, district president, taluka president, youth and women are with party's national leader Sharad Pawar.

"The oath-taking ceremony in Maharashtra was part of Operation Lotus and it has no official support of NCP. Those who took oath, it is their personal decision and not that of the NCP," he said.

Elections to the 288-member state Assembly are due next year.

The political development comes a year after a revolt led by Shinde against the Shiv Sena (then undivided) led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

On June 30, 2022, Shinde was sworn in as the CM with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as the deputy CM.