'BJP's surgical strike in the dead of night': Uddhav, Sharad Pawar in presser

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that Ajit Pawar's decision to support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is against the party line and its indiscipline and that no NCP leader or worker is in favour of an NCP-BJP government. Addressing a joint presser with Uddhav Thackrey, Pawar said, "The Congress, Shiv Sena and the NCP leaders came together to form Government. We had the numbers. We had our official numbers- 44, 56 and 54 MLAs with us who had supported the government. Several independent were also with us and we had numbers around 170."

The NCP chief said that except for Ajit Pawar, none of the other NCP MLAs went for the swearing-n the ceremony, adding that "a true NCP member will never ever join hands with the BJP."

He said that all the MLAs who are going must know that there is an anti defection law and the possibility of them losing their assembly membership is high.

"I'm sure the Governor has given them time to prove majority but they won't be able prove it. After that our three parties will form the government as we had decided earlier." Pawar said. 

Answering the question on the NCP MLAs who "supported" Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar said, "Parties had their MLAs list signed by all MLAs, a similar list of NCP was with Ajit Pawar, as he is CLP of NCP. I assume that he has submitted the same list. I am not sure about this but I suspect  that this may be the case.  We will discuss with the Governor."

Pawar confirmed that a new NCP legislative party leader will be elected at 4 pm today and an action against Ajit Pawar will be taken as per the procedure. 

"I don't know if he(Ajit Pawar) has done this fearing investigating agencies or not. As per my source, 10-11 MLAs were there in Raj Bhavan and out of those, 3 are already here sitting with me," he said. 

Talking over the press meet with the Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, "This is a surgical strike that has been done in the dead of night on Maharashtra and the people of the state will take revenge."

Thackeray also said that the situation is getting hysterical ever since Devendra Fadnavis took Oath as the Chief Minister of the state.

"Earlier EVM 'khel' was going on and now new Khel. from here onwards I don’t think election is needed. Everyone knows what Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj did when betrayed and attacked from behind," Thackeray said.

"Let them try to break Shiv Sena MLAs. We will not keep quite," Thackeray added. 

Speaking at the same event, NCP MLA Rajendra Shingane said Ajit Pawar had called him to discuss something and from there he was taken with other MLAs to Raj Bhavan. "Before we could understand oath ceremony was complete. I rushed to Pawar Sahab and told him I am with Sharad Pawar and NCP."

IN the meantime, two more NCP MLAs Sandip Kshirsagar and Sunil Bhusara also alleged that they were unknowingly taken to the oath ceremony and that now they have come back and expressed support to Sharad Pawar. 

In a dramatic turn of events Saturday, Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Maharashtra Chief Minister along with NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputy. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath to the two leaders at Raj Bhawan. Within minutes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Fadnavis and Pawar. “I am confident they will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra,” he said.

Soon after the political development, Sharad Pawar said his nephew Ajit Pawar’s decision to ally with the BJP was a “personal” one and not taken by the party. “We place on record that we do not support or endorse this decision of his,” he tweeted.

The BJP, which emerged as the single largest party with 105 seats in 288-member assembly, could not stake claim to form a government as its ally Shiv Sena remained firm on a rotating Chief Minister.