Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar’s recent appearances with top leaders from Maharashtra’s ruling coalition have sparked buzz about his next political move, especially as the Supreme Court prepares to decide on last year’s Shiv Sena mutiny. Pawar, the nephew and potential political heir of Sharad Pawar shared frames with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Devendra Fadnavis at a mass wedding in Latur, where Uddhav Thackeray camp MLAs and Ambadas Danve, Leader of the Opposition in Vidhan Parishad, were also in attendance.
Ajit Pawar’s absence from a key party meeting and posters calling him the state’s future Chief Minister has added to speculation that he may split from his uncle’s party and ally with the BJP. However, both Ajit and Sharad Pawar have denied these rumors, with Sharad stating, “NCP will never break. No one will leave the party. People are maligning Ajit Pawar for no reason.”
Last year, Mr. Shinde, backed by the BJP, split the Shiv Sena and rallied a section of MLAs to form a new government under his leadership. However, if he and his MLAs are disqualified from the assembly for revolting against Uddhav Thackeray, the then-Chief Minister, Mr. Shinde may lose his job as Chief Minister. This poses a question over who gets to form the new government and who will be the new chief minister.
The Maharashtra BJP claims that the current ruling coalition with Mr. Shinde’s faction has the support of over 184 MLAs to prove a majority in the 288-member assembly. If he’s disqualified, a new government will have to be formed by the side that has greater numbers, depending on whether any MLA would change sides.
The uncertainty in Maharashtra politics has intensified with Ajit Pawar’s recent interactions with rival leaders who engineered a blow to ally Uddhav Thackeray’s government last year. With the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision and ongoing rumors of political shifts, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Maharashtra’s political landscape.
