Sharad Pawar says no role in Ajit's switch to BJP, but speculation mounts

Even as most of India remains stunned after early-morning news channels on Saturday showed the swearing-in of BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister of Maharashtra, speculation has mounted on the exact stance of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. Along with Fadnavis, NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.

Many journalists and social media users argued Ajit, who is the nephew of Sharad Pawar, had parted ways with his uncle. As negotiations between the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena dragged on for the past two weeks, there had been reports Ajit Pawar was threatening to break away, with over 30 of the 54 NCP MLAs, and support the BJP. Moreover, Sharad Pawar was not present at the swearing-in on Saturday.

Sharad Pawar tweeted a statement on Saturday saying the decision to ally with the BJP was that of Ajit alone. Sharad Pawar tweeted, “Ajit Pawar's decision to support the BJP to form the Maharashtra Government is his personal decision and not that of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). We place on record that we do not support or endorse this decision of his.”

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, a key figure in deliberations for an alternate government, also claimed Sharad Pawar had no role in Ajit Pawar going with the BJP. Raut said on Saturday, "Sharad Pawar saheb has nothing to do with this, Ajit Pawar has backstabbed the people of Maharashtra."

However, a tweet by BJP leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi has given rise to speculation that Sharad Pawar himself had okayed what would effectively be a coalition between the BJP and NCP. In a congratulatory tweet to Fadnavis, Sushil Kumar Modi tweeted, "... Sharad Pawar like Nitish Kumar knew that BJP is more reliable then Congress. Shiv Sena was like RJD. Very difficult to work with party like SS or RJD full of lumpens."

Congress leader and eminent lawyer Abhishek Singhvi also made a cryptic tweet about the hurried swearing-in in Mumbai, sarcastically praising "Pawarji" as "great". Singhvi tweeted, "Surreal wht I read abt #Maharashtra. Thought it was fake news. Candidly &personally speaking, our tripartite negotiations shd not have gone on for more than 3 days...took too long. Window given was grabbed by fast movers. #pawarji tussi grt ho! Amazing if true, still not sure"

In addition, news agency ANI quoted sources as saying, "NCP Chief Sharad Pawar was part of discussions for Devendra Fadnavis led Maharashtra Govt formation, he had given his assent to Ajit Pawar." ANI added, "Ajit Pawar is the leader of Parliamentary board of NCP and no decision of NCP is taken without Sharad Pawar’s assent."

Sharad Pawar had played a prominent role in negotiating an alliance with the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP since the breakdown of the Sena-BJP combine over the issue of who would be chief minister. Sharad Pawar had met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Congress president Sonia Gandhi to finalise an agreement. On Friday, Sharad Pawar sought that Uddhav be chief minister of the proposed Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP government.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's praise for the NCP in the Rajya Sabha earlier this week and a meeting between Sharad Pawar and the PM had fuelled fresh rumours. There were reports the BJP was offering the NCP berths in the Union cabinet and even the post of president of India to Sharad Pawar in return for an alliance in Maharashtra.

After the 2014 Assembly polls threw up a fractured mandate, Sharad Pawar had extended outside support to the BJP briefly, before the saffron party agreed to a tie-up with the Shiv Sena.