Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Monday claimed he has information that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised Ajit Pawar the post of Maharashtra chief minister. With Ajit Pawar's move to join the ruling Eknath Shinde-BJP coalition on Sunday changing political dynamics in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also claimed that Shinde will lose the CM's post.
On Sunday, Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP to become the deputy chief minister, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago. Eight NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
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To a query, Chavan while speaking to reporters in Karad said, "I had spoken about it (that Ajit Pawar may go with BJP) publicly but I faced criticism."
The Congress leader said he knew this was happening.
"Just bargaining was going on over what he (Ajit) should be getting. As per our information, he has been given a promise of chief minister's post by pushing Eknath Shinde aside with the help of Assembly speaker's decision (on disqualification of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs)," the former CM claimed.
Chavan was at 'Pritisangam', the memorial of Maharashtra's first CM Yashwantrao Chavan. NCP chief visited the memorial in Karad and paid floral tributes to the late leader.
Prithviraj Chavan said, "He (Sharad Pawar) is one of the constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and I am here to extend support to him."
"Pawar Saheb is standing strong behind the opposition unity at the national level and he is going to attend the opposition meet in Bengaluru," he added.
The Congress leader also told PTI that if the MVA had stayed united and strong, the BJP-Eknath Shinde alliance would have had no chance in elections due to the "sympathy factor" for former CM Uddhav Thackeray and the Congress and NCP coming together with him.
The Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections are due next year.
"There would be all attempts to break us and that is what has happened,'' Prithviraj Chavan said referring to the move by Ajit Pawar and eight other senior NCP leaders to join the government.
He also said state Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has to take a decision on the disqualification of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs, including CM Eknath Shinde, by August 11, failing which the MVA will move the Supreme Court.
Prithviraj Chavan also said Sunday's developments were like preparing the ground "to save the government" if the 16 Sena MLAs are disqualified.
Talking to PTI, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed, "Shinde will surely lose the CM's post."
"Let the July 5 meeting of NCP called by Sharad Pawar take place, we will then sit together to chart the road ahead. Uddhav Thackeray has called a meeting of his supporters tomorrow. We will remain united," the Rajya Sabha member said.
Maharashtra Congress vice president Ratnakar Mahajan said the political climate in Maharashtra has for the first time become "chaotic".
Every body seems to be confused about what will happen in the future.
"One thing is certain that everyone wants power. In such a situation, neither issues nor values matter. For the general public it is disappointing," he said. Against this backdrop, the outcome of elections due next year has become more unpredictable, he said.
"Many surprises will be seen in terms of coalitions, leaders involved and people's participation. Ultimately people suffer in the process," Mahajan said.
Speaking about his party, Mahajan said for the time being Congress is member of the MVA. "Future stand will depend on the situation that develops," he added.
However, state BJP vice president Madhav Bhandari said there is no chaos over two Shiv Sena factions and two NCPs.
''The people who thought they own the parties have been left out and are on one side, while the organisation and workers are on the other side. It is too early to speak about how the developments will play out in future. We have to wait and watch,'' he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha member Vinayak Raut, while speaking to a TV channel, demanded that Uddhav Thackeray chart out a separate political path out of the MVA.
With the changing political dynamics in Maharashtra, the state is likely to see two Shiv Sena factions as well as two of the NCP battle it out for political space along with the Congress and BJP in the Lok Sabha and the state Assembly polls next year.
Maharashtra sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh.
Despite the rebellion in the Shiv Sena last year, which result in the collapse of the MVA government, the three allies Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT) had appeared to stand united and face the BJP at the hustings.
The alliance had even tasted success in the biennial elections to the Legislative Council and the Assembly bypoll in Kasba seat of Pune.