The Maharashtra cabinet might see a reshuffle after Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash on Wednesday as the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) leaders seek cabinet berth for Sunetra Pawar and the rival faction talks of merger. In this regard, the NCP is likely to submit a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding that Ajit Pawar’s portfolios be allotted to the NCP as the departments came under the party’s quota.
During the time of his death, Ajit Pawar was in control of the departments of Finance, Planning and State Excise. Moreover, he took additional charges in Sport and Youth Welfare and Minority Development. All these departments are now vacant, and the NCP is expected to stake claims on these portfolios.
Ajit Pawar was keen on the merger of two factions: Kiran Gujar
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was keen on the merger of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and it was about to happen soon, a close associate of the deceased leader has claimed.
Kiran Gujar, who had been associated with Ajit Pawar since before his entry into politics in the mid-1980s, told PTI on Thursday that Pawar had confided in him about this only five days before Wednesday's fatal plane crash He was one hundred per cent keen on merging both the factions. He had told me five days ago that the entire process was complete and the merger was imminent in the next few days," Gujar said.
Ajit Pawar camp currently divided into two groups
It should be noted that the Ajit Pawar camp is currently divided into two groups, with one seeking to remain with the Mahayuti alliance, and another is seeking to reunite with Sharad Pawar. At this time, Ajit Pawar’s death has led to several questions surrounding the future of NCP.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders also suggested that Sunetra Pawar should step forward and lead the outfit, which is a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance led by the BJP. Senior NCP leader and FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal said it is people's wish that late Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha member, be inducted into the state ministry.
Party wants Sunetra Pawar to be cabinet member
Asked about the NCP's future after the untimely death of Ajit Pawar, who was also the party president, Zirwal told reporters that people want "vahini" (sister-in-law, referring to Sunetra Pawar) to be made a cabinet member.
"We will talk to our leadership about it (inducting Sunetra in cabinet) and take a decision,'' Zirwal, who was a close confidant of Ajit Pawar, said after the late politician's funeral in his hometown Baramati in Pune district.
To a question on the possible merger of the rival groups, ruling ally NCP and Opposition NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), he noted, ''The two factions are already together (for local body polls). Everyone has realised that there was no point in remaining scattered and we have to be together.''
Nawab Malik says he can not predict how politics will take shape now
NCP leader and former minister Nawab Malik emphasised that final decision on the merger was to be taken by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar, who heads the NCP (SP). "Now, I can not predict how politics will take shape. But it is everyone's wish that the entire family and the two parties should come together," Malik said.
Another NCP leader and Ajit Pawar confidante, Pramod Hindurao, maintained Sunetra Pawar should carry forward the legacy of her husband and take care of party workers. Sunetra Pawar, who fought the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on an NCP ticket, had lost to Supriya Sule, NCP (SP) working president and Sharad Pawar's daughter, in Baramati.
In July 2023, Ajit Pawar had joined the then-Eknath Shinde-led government, triggering a split in the NCP co-founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar.
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