After Ajit Pawar Switches Side, The Way Ahead For Each Camp

The NCP's Ajit Pawar, who took oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister with nine MLAs today, claiming support of a chunk of the party's MLAs, will have some way to go to evade action in the assembly and the courts.

The long legal battle over the Shiv Sena split barely over, Maharashtra appears headed for another one -- this time in Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party. The NCP's Ajit Pawar, who took oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister with nine MLAs today, will have some way to go to evade action in the assembly and the courts. The new Deputy Chief Minister -- who appeared at a press conference with Praful Patel, one of the new working presidents of the party -- has claimed he has the support of practically the entire party. He also staked claim to the party's name and symbol, much like Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after the split in Shiv Sena.   

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has not been available for comment. But Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut tweeted that he has spoken to Sharad Pawar.

"Some people have taken up the task of cleaning up Maharashtra politics. Let them have their way. I just had a talk with Mr. Sharad Pawar. He said "I am strong. We have the support of the people. We will rebuild everything again with Uddhav Thackeray." Yes, people will not tolerate this game for long," Mr Raut tweeted.

Even if Ajit Pawar has the support of 50 of the party's 53 MLAs, Sharad Pawar, as the party chief, can still demand the disqualification of the rebels under 10th Schedule.