Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister, supporting the Shinde-Fadnavis government led by Eknath Shinde, which caused a political upheaval in the state. However, even after a month since the oath-taking, there remains uncertainty about the exact number of MLAs supporting Ajit Pawar. State Congress President Nana Patole has urged the Speaker to clarify the situation regarding the number of MLAs aligned with Ajit Pawar.
Patole alleged that the delay in naming the leader of the opposition by Congress was due to Ajit Pawar's sudden change of stance. The state has witnessed political records since 2019, with frequent changes in the government. From Fadnavis to Uddhav Thackeray, and now Eknath Shinde as Chief Minister, and Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar as Deputy Chief Ministers, the political landscape has been constantly shifting. Patole emphasized that the exact number of MLAs with Ajit Pawar's group, including NCP members, needs to be disclosed in the House to remove doubts and enable the Speaker to make a decision. The confusion surrounding this issue led to the delay in naming the leader of the opposition for the Congress.
Earlier this month, a faction of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar joined the Shinde-Fadnavis government, causing a major upheaval in the state's politics. Ajit Pawar took oath as deputy chief minister, and other leaders also assumed ministerial positions. While it is claimed that many NCP MLAs are with Ajit Pawar, the exact number remains unclear. During the show of strength after the rebellion, more than 30 MLAs were present with Ajit Pawar. However, the Speaker has not yet provided clarity on the number of MLAs in Ajit Pawar's group, despite expectations that it would be clarified during the ongoing monsoon session of the legislature. Even after the session concluded, the matter remains unresolved.