Ajit Pawar likely to return to NCP ahead of govt formation

Ajit resigned as deputy CM, leading to the collapse of four-day-old BJP govt

The NCP removed Ajit as its legislature party leader the same day after he took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state | Amey S. Mansabdar The NCP removed Ajit as its legislature party leader the same day after he took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state | Amey S. Mansabdar

NCP rebel leader Ajit Pawar, whose resignation from the post of deputy chief minister led to the collapse of the four-day-old government headed by the BJP in Maharashtra, is likely to return to the party fold. According to reports, Ajit will attend a combined meeting of the NCP, the Congress and the Shiv Sena at a Mumbai hotel on Tuesday evening to finalise the government formation.

Despite Ajit's switching to the BJP camp, many of his supporters in the NCP were seen holding placards that read "Ajit-Dada we love you".

Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had also claimed that Ajit was back in the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance.

News agency PTI quoted sources as saying that the resignation of Ajit on Tuesday afternoon came amidst sustained persuasion by his family members and senior NCP leaders. Party patriarch Sharad Pawar has reportedly spoken to his prodigal nephew over phone in the morning asking him to revisit his decision to align with the BJP and stay in power.

Following his resignation, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also resigned, barely 80 hours after taking oath for the second time.

Fadnavis was sworn in on November 23 in an early morning hush hush ceremony, with the support of Ajit, who then headed the 54-member NCP legislature party.

The NCP removed Ajit as its legislature party leader the same day after he took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state.

The stage is now set for Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to be sworn in as the new chief minister. He will be the first from the Thackeray to assume a government post.