Maharashtra: Sena huddle today amid growing disquiet in Shinde camp over Ajit Pawar’s crossover to NDA

The induction of Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party into the NDA government in Maharashtra has triggered unrest within the Shiv Sena camp led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The unrest has mounted to an extent that Shinde has convened an urgent meeting of legislators and other leaders of the party at his official residence Wednesday evening to discuss the issues emerging after the entry of Ajit Pawar and other NCP leaders into the government.

Also Read: Eknath Shinde’s warning shot: ‘Will quit govt if Ajit Pawar joins BJP with NCP MLAs’

The development comes two days after Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a post he now shares with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis. With a sword of disqualification hanging over the heads of many MLAs of the Shinde camp who rebelled last year, Pawar’s entry has caused considerable concern among leaders.

Will respond positively to Uddhav Thackeray’s proposal: Shinde camp minister

In clear signs of the displeasure within the Shinde camp, senior Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra minister Shambhujraje Desai on Tuesday said that the party will respond positively to any proposal from Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray.

“These all are hypothetical questions. But if anyone from Uddhav Ji’s side reaches out to us then we will reciprocate. We will give a response positively, if we get any proposal,” Desai said when asked how the party would respond if it receives a proposal from the Uddhav camp.

Also Read: Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar does an Eknath Shinde to NCP in 2019 deja vu

Notably, the Shinde Sena had shot off a warning shot months ago amid buzz over Ajit Pawar considering a tie-up with the BJP. Shinde Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat had said in mid-April that the party will quit the government if Ajit Pawar joins the NDA as an NCP member.

“Our policy is clear about it. The NCP is a party that betrays. We will not be with the NCP even in power. If the BJP takes NCP with them, Maharashtra will not like it. We decided to move out (of the earlier undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray) because people didn’t like us going with the Congress and NCP,” Shirsat had then said.

“Ajit Pawar doesn’t have a free hand there (in NCP). Therefore, if he leaves the NCP, we will welcome him. If he comes along with a group of NCP (leaders), we will not be in the government,” he had said.

In a surprising development on Sunday, Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy CM of Maharashtra along with eight other leaders of the NCP. The party, led by Sharad Pawar, the national president of the NCP, has moved a disqualification petition in seeking their ouster from the Maharashtra Assembly.

While the decision still rests with the Speaker, Ajit Pawar has claimed he has enough numbers to take control of the party symbol and name. However, there is still no clarity on how many MLAs either camp has.