Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Sunday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and the rebel Nationalist Congress Party MLAs who followed in Ajit Pawar's footsteps to join the state government.NCP leaders have joined the government to save their skin. This is also an effort to save the government," Patole said.
He then slammed the BJP and accused the saffron party of poaching MLAs under 'Operation Lotus'."BJP desperate to be in power. This is another instance of Operation Lotus by BJP," Patole said. Nana Patole accused the BJP of misusing the power. Patole said, “BJP is in power in the centre and misusing it. BJP is carrying out 'Operation Lotus'...ruining the politics of the country...BJP can do anything for power, they either scare members of other parties using ED & CBI or else will offer them money...people of Maharashtra is condemning this and BJP will never come back to power in this state. "
Following Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde government as deputy chief minister on Sunday, the Nationalist Congress Party appointed Jitendra Awhad as Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly.The MLA from Mumbra-Kalwa in neighbouring Thane district said NCP state unit president Jayant Patil had appointed him chief whip of the party and LoP in the Assembly.