Amid the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) crisis in Maharashtra, both the factions Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar camp has convened separate meetings in Mumbai today where a clear picture may emerge on the exact number of MLAs backing each group amid the contrasting claims.
You portrayed me as a villain in front of everyone. I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar). But you tell me, IAS officers retire at 60 even in politics BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. That allows the new generation to rise. You (Sharad Pawar) give us your blessings. The other day, he went to YB Chavan memorial I have also been there but you are 83, aren't you going to stop? Give us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life, said Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar at the meeting of his faction of NCP leaders in Mumbai.
In a surprise move on July 2nd NCP leader Ajit Pawar who was also the Maharashtra Leader of Opposition joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra and took oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister. The move by NCP chief Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, which also saw eight other NCP MLAs joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, came amid efforts by opposition parties to forge unity to take on the BJP in the next year's Lok Sabha polls.