'Happy About The Decision': BJP Leaders Welcome Ajit Pawar's Move To Join Eknath Shinde Govt

"This is a very good development, I welcome that development in Maharashtra...I am happy about the decision and the people of Maharashtra are also happy...," BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa said.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the Shive Sena (Eknath Shinde) camp on Sunday ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Welcoming Ajit Pawar's move to join the NDA and became the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, former Karnataka CM and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa said that this is a big development for Maharashtra and that he is happy about the decision.

 

"This is a very good development, I welcome that development in Maharashtra...I am happy about the decision and the people of Maharashtra are also happy...," he said.

#WATCH | Delhi: Former Karnataka CM & BJP leader BS Yediyurappa on NCP leader Ajit Pawar to take oath as deputy CM, says, "This is a very good development, I welcome that development in Maharashtra...I am happy about the decision and the people of Maharashtra are also happy..." pic.twitter.com/fnot5hDvHl

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2023

NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the Shive Sena (Eknath Shinde) camp on Sunday and has been sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Pawar has also brought 29 MLAs from NCP to the Shinde faction in a big political move and has resigned as the Leader of the Opposition. 

 

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also welcomed the move saying that Pawar wanted NCP to ally with BJP for quite some time but Sharad Pawar was against it.

 

"Ajit Pawar was miffed since sometime, because he wanted NCP to ally with BJP but Sharad Pawar disagreed to it. I welcome the decision of Ajit Pawar… this is a big change and a big setback for NCP and MVA," Athawale said.

 

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray Faction MP Sanjay Raut said that Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and the 16 MLAs that went with him will be disqualified and the new chief minister will be announced soon.

 

Raut said, "We already knew that this was going to happen. Eknath Shinde and the 16 MLAs that went with him will be disqualified. Maharashtra will get another CM in a few days."

In 2019, Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister, while Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government, led by Uddhav Thackeray, succeeded it, with Ajit Pawar serving as deputy chief minister once more. The post was sent to him again on Sunday, and he will share it with Devendra Fadnavis this time.

Apart from Ajit Pawar, eight other NCP MLAs have also been sworn in as ministers in the state cabinet. The names of the newly inducted ministers are Hassan Mushrif, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Baburao Bansode, Anil Bhaidas  Patil and Dharmarao Atram.

Ajit Pawar's joining the Shinde BJP government is in a way making the BJP's side stronger. In such a situation, BJP is reaching the majority figure even without the support of the Shinde faction. At present, the government has the support of 166 MLAs, including 125 MLAs from the BJP and 40 from the Shinde camp. If 30 MLAs of the Ajit Pawar camp join hands with the BJP, it will have the support of 156 MLAs, which will be 11 more than the majority.