Ajit Pawar Takes Oath As Maharashtra's Deputy CM For Third Time In Four Years. IN PICS

Ajit Pawar orchestrated a surprising vertical split within the party, emerging as deputy chief minister. Eight NCP leaders were sworn in as ministers alongside Pawar at Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar's surprising split from the party surprises party supremo Sharad Pawar.

Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's nephew, was sworn in as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister for the third time on Sunday. (Image Source: PTI)

He switched allegiances to the BJP just weeks after his cousin Supriya Sule was named working president of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). (Image Source: PTI)

With the latest developments, Ajit Pawar has become Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister for the third time in four years, under three different chief ministers. (Image Source: PTI)

On November 23, then-Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari swore in BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister and Ajit Pawar as his deputy. However, the government only lasted three days. (Image Source: PTI)

Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as Chief Minister of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on November 28. Ajit Pawar took the oath of office as Deputy Chief Minister for the second time. (Image Source: PTI)

Ajit Pawar justified NCP's decision to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government, emphasising development and praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. He further denied any split in the NCP, stating that they will contest future elections under the party's name and symbol, claiming unanimous support from elected representatives. (Image Source: PTI)

Later that day, in a press conference, Sharad Pawar claimed that the NCP did not make the decision to align with the BJP-Shiv Sena government and promised action against those who joined the state Cabinet. Sharad Pawar displayed resilience despite the upheaval, demonstrating that such party rebellions are not unfamiliar to him. (Image Source: PTI)

Ajit Pawar was born on July 22, 1959, in Rahuri taluka of Ahmednagar district, at Deolali Pravara. He is the younger brother of Sharad Pawar, Anantrao Pawar, who worked in the film industry in Mumbai with renowned filmmaker V Shantaram and his Rajkamal Studios. (Image Source: PTI)