Ajit Pawar's ambition to become CM stirs row in Maharashtra

Amid hectic political developments in the run up to the 2024 Vidhan Sabha polls, the debate on who would be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra has become wide open.

It has resulted in statements and counter-statements in both the camps - the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi involving Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).

The issue has gained momentum amid reports that Maharashtra’s Leader of Opposition in Assembly Ajit Pawar was unhappy and may resign and join the BJP or would switch side with a group and support the saffron party.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar capable of becoming Maharashtra CM, says Sanjay Raut

The debate started after Friday's statement of Ajit Pawar, who is a four-time Deputy Chief Minister.

During a public interaction hosted by a media house, Pawar was asked whether he wants to be the Chief Minister? he replied, Yes, I would 100 per cent like to be."

He was further asked, would the NCP stake claim for the Chief Minister’s post? he said, “Why 2024, we are ready to stake a claim for the Chief Minister position now also.” However, he did not specify further.

Fadnavis, who is now the Deputy Chief Minister and had headed the BJP-Shiv Sena government, took a dig at Pawar saying, “I have not seen the interview. There is nothing wrong with anyone aspiring to be a Chief Minister, many like it but not everyone can become one. We wish him all the best,” he said.

Incidentally, ahead of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA coming to power, Fadnavis and Pawar were sworn in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, however, the government collapsed in three days. Later Pawar became the Deputy Chief Minister to Thackeray.

On being asked about the latest developments, Revenue Minister and senior BJP leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, on Sunday, said: "It is clear that Devendra Fadnavis is the Chief Minister of our choice. At present, the coalition government is running under (Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde.”The statement of Vikhe-Patil is similar to what former state BJP President and now Higher and Technical Education Chandrakant Patil made a few months ago. “We have made Eknath Shinde the Chief Minister instead of Devendra Fadnavis with a heavy heart,” he had said. However, Fadnavis and BJP leadership downplayed the statement.

The MVA partners of NCP too are rattled by Pawar’s statement. “….it takes 145 numbers to become Chief Minister in Maharashtra. If Ajit Pawar has this number, he should become Chief Minister very easily,” state Congress President Nana Patole said.

He also took objection to Pawar’s statement on former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan - who said that he worked as Deputy Chief Minister "happily" with Thackeray, but working with Chavan was not by choice but as per the directions of seniors.

“Why did he take the oath of ministership if he was helpless?. Prithviraj Chavan is our leader, it is not expected that Ajit Pawar will say this about him. If Ajit Pawar was unhappy in the Congress-NCP government, then he should have been left at that time itself,” Patole said.

On the other hand, Thackeray’s close aide and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said: “Who would not like to be chief minister? And he is capable of becoming chief minister. He has been in politics for so many years now and has been minister several times. He holds a record for having served as Deputy Chief Minister for the most number of times. Everyone thinks one should become Chief Minister…he has not expressed this desire for the first time…my best wishes to him.”