Ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly election, NCP national president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has broken his silence over the CM pick if the ruling Mahayuti alliance wins the polls.
The NCP president said that he is keen to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
"Everyone wants their leader to be the Chief Minister. When I say this I also figure in it. But to become Chief Minister one has to reach the majority number. Not everyone's wish is fulfilled,” Pawar said after performing puja at Pune's prestigious Dagdusheth Haldwai Ganapati temple, according to IANS.
“Everyone has an opinion and a desire, but not everyone gets what they want. But for that, the right to vote is given by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and ultimately it is in the hands of the voters. It is also necessary to reach a halfway mark of 145 in the 288-member state Assembly,” the NCP leader said.
Ajit Pawar, however, maintained that the Mahayuti comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP will contest the upcoming election under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
"All of us are making efforts to bring the grand coalition government back to power. After the grand coalition government comes, we all will sit together and make a decision about the Chief Minister. The MahaYuti will fight the ensuing Assembly election under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde," he said.
Pawar’s statement comes at a time when leaders from Shiv Sena are pushing hard for Eknath Shinde to remain the CM if the ruling alliance wins.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently said, “The BJP’s Parliamentary Board will take a decision on the post of Chief Minister after the Assembly election. The decision taken by the main leaders of the National Democratic Alliance will be acceptable to all of us. Eknath Shinde is the head of the state, so, we will go to the people under his leadership.”
The BJP leader also made it amply clear that there are no differences among the MahaYuti partners on this issue.