Sanjay Raut further clarified that NCP chief Sharad Pawar has nothing to do with his nephew Ajit’s decision.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut (File Photo: IANS)
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said that NCP’s Ajit Pawar has “backstabbed” the people of Maharashtra by joining hands with the BJP.
Hours after Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar as the new Deputy Chief Minister, Raut said that the NCP leader and the MLAs supporting him have insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the state of Maharashtra.
Sanjay Raut further clarified that NCP chief Sharad Pawar has nothing to do with his nephew Ajit’s decision. He also said that Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar are in touch and will meet today.
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“We had an inkling of some such developments since Ajit Pawar never looked us in the eye in our series of meetings… Even Sharad Pawar had harboured some doubts when his nephew (Ajit Pawar) had suddenly quit his Assembly seat just before the October elections,” Raut said.
Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray are set to jointly address the media at 12.30 pm today.
Following the stunning development, party supremo and uncle Sharad Pawar said his nephew’s decision was a personal one.
Sharad Pawar said that the decision was not that of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and placed on record that they do not support or endorse the decision of Ajit Pawar.
BJP state President Chandrakant Patil said that Ajit Pawar has the support of at least 15 MLAs, plus there are others and independents which will give the BJP alliance support of around 160 legislators.
“All the supporting legislators shall have a meeting on Sunday afternoon in Mumbai,” he added.
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