It is the BJP’s sweet revenge in Maharashtra: two splits in 12 months, and putting a big question mark on the leadership of two major political parties of the state – Shiv Sena and NCP. Now, the saffron camp has absolute power for a makeover in the state’s political circles when seen in the context of numbers in the legislative assembly. A day after Ajit Pawar led a rebellion against Sharad Pawar and joined the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has made a stunning claim indicating more turmoil in the state’s political circles. Talking to the media, Raut claimed that CM Shinde is all set to lose his post. Ajit Pawar and eight NCP MLAs yesterday joined the ruling Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra.
“Today I am saying this in front of the camera, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra is going to change. Maharashtra will get a new Chief Minister. Eknath Shinde is being removed. In the disqualification case that is going on, Eknath Shinde and the 16 MLAs, are going to be disqualified and that is why they have haphazardly inducted Ajit Pawar into their fold. Ajit Pawar will be the next chief minister,” said Raut.
Meanwhile, NCP president Jayant Patil has also moved a disqualification petition against Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs who took oath as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led state government.
Raut claimed that the BJP is doing politics of intimidation and pressure. “BJP is resorting to politics of intimidation and pressure. BJP is breaking Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress but this will not benefit them at all. The people of Maharashtra are angry. In Maharashtra, we will fight unitedly. It is shocking that PM Modi had said in his Bhopal rally that the leaders of NCP are involved in corruption and now those leaders have taken oath in Raj Bhawan. People cannot be fooled. BJP was running a campaign against those who took oath yesterday,” he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP are in the opposition in Maharashtra following the collpase of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government due to the rebellion by Eknath Shinde.