Maharashtra Cabinet Expansion On December 30, Ajit Pawar To Be Appointed As Deputy CM: Sources

After last month’s intense political drama, NCP’s Ajit Pawar is likely to be appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra later this month. Sources have told News Nation that the Maharashtra Cabinet expansion will take place on December 30. Originally slated for an earlier schedule, the Cabinet expansion got delayed as the Congress list was not ready, sources told News Nation. Ajit Pawar’s comeback in the Maharashtra government after last month’s shocking rebellion will also change equation with the NCP. Pawar had resigned from the Devendra Fadnavis government on November 26 after the BJP failed to get number for the trust vote. Despite everything in place, Pawar didn’t take oath along with Uddhav Thackeray on November 28.

The NCP leader, who ditched his uncle and party chief Sharad by joining hands with the BJP and became deputy chief minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government, said that him going with the saffron party was not a revolt. He said that he continues to be with the NCP and would accept whatever decision his uncle and NCP national president Sharad Pawar takes. "It was not a revolt. I was the leader of NCP. Did NCP remove me? Did you read (about my removal from NCP) somewhere?" Ajit Pawar told reporters.

"I have been telling all that I was in the NCP, I am in NCP and will be in NCP," he said. After ditching his uncle and party, Ajit Pawar also played Devendra Fadnavis and resigned as deputy chief minister just three days after wearing-in on November 23. Following his decision, the BJP’s hopes of getting majority were dashed and Devendra Fadnavis had to quit.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau on December 20 submitted one more affidavit in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High court, giving a clean chit to NCP leader Ajit Pawar in connection with the alleged scam involving 12 projects under Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). A senior ACB officer told PTI that the agency's Director General Parambir Singh filed an affidavit in the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court that Pawar, a former irrigation minister, has been given a clean chit in cases involving 12 irrigation projects under the VIDC.