Mumbai: The BJP received a big jolt in Maharashtra as rebel NCP leader Ajit Pawar quit as Deputy Chief Minister after hectic parleys and persuasion by Sharad Pawar and family. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that it is a ‘big victory’ for the ‘Maha Vikas Aghadi’.
After the Supreme Court ruling for a floor test in the Assembly, Wednesday the opposition was in a jubilant mood. Junior Pawar quit to make truce with the NCP supremo as the supporting MLAs withdrew from Ajit Pawar and went back to the parent party.
An isolated Ajit Pawar was left alone. But at the meeting Tuesday where Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule were present, it was decided that Ajit will quit and not break the family.
Earlier after the Supreme Court ruling, leaders of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress said Tuesday that it would be a transparent and clean affair on that day, and the BJP’s ‘game was over’.
“Since there will be an open vote which will be telecast live, there is no scope for any manipulations in the floor test by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the claimed supporters of Ajit Pawar,” said Sena leader Kishore Tiwari.
NCP’s national spokesperson Nawab Malik termed the apex court ruling as ‘Satyameva Jayate… BJP’s game is over’.
However, Chandrakant Patil the BJP unit head in Maharashtra said that the party respects the court verdict and ‘we shall prove our majority on the Assembly floor tomorrow (Wednesday)’.
Sena MP Sanjay Raut hailed the verdict and said the apex court had given ‘30 hours times, but we can prove our majority in 30 minutes today’.
Terming as a victory of democracy, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that the verdict will ensure that ‘horse-trading will be reined in while democracy will be strengthened’.
Sachin Sawant who is one of the spokesperson of the Congress in Maharashtra said that with this historic ruling, the BJP is now on the backfoot and it’s a victory for democratic norms.
“Seeing Ajit Pawar’s mood after this, it is clear that he has no support of any NCP MLAs. It will be better if he quits immediately, but he’s under the BJP’s pressure,” Sawant said.
Former Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam said it was symbolic that on a day when India is celebrating the ‘Constitution Day’, the apex court verdict will help strengthen those who fight to protect the country’s Constitution and preserve its ideals.
IANS