New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supporters on Sunday smeared black ink on the posters of party leaders who joined the NDA government.


In a video shared by the news agency ANI, NCP supporters could be seen smearing black inks on the posters of leaders.


Notably, 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.






To protest against Ajit Pawar and his supporters for joining the NDA government, NCP workers also gathered outside the party's head office in Mumbai.






Welcoming the move, BJP spokesperson RP Singh told PTI, "India is developing rapidly and this is happening only because of PM Modi. Ajit Pawar knows this very well and that's why he decided join hands with us."






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...."

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.