NCP's internal document was 'misused as letter of support': Sharad Pawar

Internal paper of NCP misused by Ajit Pawar

Mumbai, Nov 23: NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday held a joint press briefing in the wake of frantic overnight political development in Maharashtra. NCP, Shiv Sena and the Congress had joined hands to form government in Maharashtra, but in a surprise overnight move, Ajit Pawar lent support to the BJP.

With Ajit Pawar's support, the BJP, which had won 105 seats in the assembly elections, formed the government on Saturday morning and Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the chief minister.

"I came to know about the developments at Raj Bhavan today morning at around 6.00 am. I was told that Ajit Pawar went with some 10-11 MLAs...I do not think that the BJP has numbers," Pawar said.

The NCP chief claimed that "four out of those 10-11 have already come back".

Ajit Pawar, who was unanimously re-elected as the Legislature Party Leader of the NCP on October 30, sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister.

The NCP chief said his party is strongly against forming any government with the BJP. He said the few MLAs who have gone with Ajit Pawar do not represent the majority in the NCP.

"Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP leaders came together to form Government. We had the numbers. We had our official numbers of 44, 56 and 54 MLAs with us who had supported the government. Several independents were also with us and we had numbers around 170," the veteran politician said.

During the press conference, Sharad Pawar paraded NCP MLAs loyal to him. These MLAs said Ajit Pawar "trapped" them into going to the Raj Bhavan this morning. They claim they are with NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

"Ajit Pawar's decision is an act of indiscipline. No NCP worker is in favour of the NCP-BJP government. NCP MLAs who support the BJP should know this move attracts provisions of anti-defection law," he said.

Whenever elections are held in the constituencies of these legislators, Congress-NCP and Shiv Sena would unitedly defeat them, he added. He said 54 newly-elected legislators of the NCP had signed a paper along with their names and constituencies for the internal purpose and these signatures may have been misused as a letter of support and submitted to the governor. "If this is true, the governor has also been misled," Pawar said, adding that the paper may have been taken by Ajit Pawar as the leader of the legislature party.

"We are firm that the leadership of this government formation should stay with Shiv Sena. Governor has given time till 30th to prove majority. We will all be together with them. Congress leaders were to come, but their LLP meeting today. So they gave gone there," said Sharad Pawar.