Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar Ends Suspense On Swearing-In, Says Won't Take Oath Today

Ajit war, the rebel NCP leader who returned to fold, will not be taking oath at the mega swearing-in ceremony in Mumbai later in the evening. Ending the suspense, Pawar cleared the air and said that “I won’t be taking oath today.” However, he remained mum on the Deputy Chief minister’s prospects. “I am not taking oath today. Today six leaders will be taking oath from each party (Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress). The decision on Deputy Chief Minister is yet to be taken by the party,” Pawar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

News Nation had earlier reported about Pawar not taking oath today. Though Pawar has not said it explicitly, sources say that the NCP leader will be part of Uddhav Thackeray government. It is yet to be seen how the three parties will work on the formula and how other NCP leaders would react to the latest development. It is because there were already reports of Chhagan Bhujbal and Jayant Patil from the NCP to be part of the government.

Saturday Shocker

On November 23, in a stunning turn of events in Maharashtra, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis had returned as Chief Minister propped up by NCP's Ajit Pawar, who was made his deputy, just hours after the new alliance of Shiv Sena, the NCP and the  Congress reached a consensus that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will be their chief ministerial candidate.

As the dramatic events leading to the swearing-in of Fadnavis and Pawar at 7.30 a.m. by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari in a hush hush ceremony at Raj Bhavan created fissures in the Nationalist Congress Party(NCP), its chief Sharad Pawar distanced himself from his nephew's dramatic action and said the decision to back Fadnavis for his second consecutive term was his personal choice and not that of the party.

As questions cropped up whether a meeting of the Union Cabinet was held to recommend revocation of the President's rule, a senior home ministry official said the approval was given by the central government by invoking a special provision of The Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules which gives the prime minister special powers.

The Rule 12 says: "Departure from Rules.- The Prime Minister may, in any case or classes of cases, permit or condone a departure from these rules, to the extent he deems necessary".

The prime minister gave this approval, which acts as post-facto approval of the Union Cabinet, the official said.

The swearing in ceremony came as a political shocker, hours after Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray emerged as the Sena-NCP-Congress' consensus candidate for the top post.

Sharad Pawar described Ajit Pawar's decision to join hands with the BJP an act of indiscipline, and said his nephew and other MLAs of the party who have switched sides would attract the provisions of the anti-defection law.