Why 2024, Ready To Take Role Of Maharashtra CM Now, NCP Leader Ajit Pawar Says

Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar said his party is ready to take the role of Maharashtra Chief Minister now also instead of waiting for it until the 2024 state assembly polls.

Pawar, who is also the leader of the opposition in the assembly, said he will like to become the CM for 100 percent. ( Image Source :PTI )

Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Friday said that the NCP is ready to take the role of Maharashtra Chief Minister now instead of waiting for it until the 2024 state assembly polls. His comments have come amid ongoing speculations about his next political move. Pawar, who is also the leader of the opposition in the assembly, said he would like to become the CM for “100 percent,” reported news agency PTI. During an interview with Sakal Media Group, as cited by PTI, he said he got to know about the current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s unhappiness before he rebelled against the Shiv Sena in 2022.

When Pawar was asked about forming the government and getting the role of CM next year, he said, "Why 2024, we are ready to stake a claim for the CM position now also,” as cited by PTI.

Pawar who has served as the state’s deputy chief minister many times in the past, said, “I would 100 per cent like to be (CM)." He further said that his colleague late R R Patil would have been the CM in 2004, but a message came from Delhi and his party could only manage to get the role of Deputy CM of Maharashtra.

While explaining why the party has mostly taken the role of deputy chief minister, he said: “We got 71 seats, while the Congress won 69. Everyone, including the Congress, thought CM would be from the NCP. However, some decisions were taken at the highest level and a message came from Delhi that the NCP will get the deputy chief minister position and the CM post went to Congress”, PTI reported.

Pawar On Eknath Shide

While commenting on Eknatb Shinde’s rebellion and subsequent split in the Shiv Sena, Pawar said he got to hear about Shinde’s unhappiness and sensed that something was going on in his mind.

Pawar said, "We had alerted Pawar saheb (NCP president Sharad Pawar) and Thackeray was also apprised about it,” as quoted by PTI. He said the BJP had been trying to pull down the MVA government since the first day of its formation.

BJP Won Due To Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Charisma: Ajit Pawar

While speaking on the rise of the BJP in the last few years, Pawar said the saffron party won elections because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma. He added that Modi helped the party in getting the majority in consecutive Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and 2019.

Pawar Skips Party Meeting In Mumbai

Meanwhile, on Friday Pawar skipped a meeting of his party’s Mumbai unit which has raised eyebrows in political circles amid the ongoing speculation about his next political move.

However, he played down the sentiments saying that he could not be present during the meet as he had to attend some other events.