Still with NCP; Uddhav will decide on induction: Ajit Pawar

NCP leader Ajit Pawar Wednesday said he continues to be in the Sharad Pawar-led party, adding it was up to CM-designate Uddhav Thackeray to take a call on inducting him into the cabinet.

Ajit Pawar, who last week supported the BJP to form a short-lived government in Maharashtra, also said there is no reason "to create" confusion about his being in the NCP. "I have nothing to say (right now), I will speak at the right time. I had said earlier also, I am in the NCP and I will remain in the NCP. There is no reason to create confusion," Ajit Pawar told in Vidhan Bhawan premises.

"The decision to induct me in the cabinet is to be taken by Uddhav Thackeray as CM," he said. "I am not unhappy with anyone. I will accept any responsibility given by my party," he said.

On his late Tuesday night visit to 'Silver Oak', his uncle and NCP president Sharad Pawar's residence, Ajit Pawar said, "It is my right to meet my leader." Meanwhile, NCP MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday said he was sure his uncle Ajit Pawar would return to the party and felt happy after the latter met party chief Sharad Pawar.

He also said that the Pawars "stand united" and will remain so. "I could not trust how it happened. As a worker, I did not go into the details of it. There was some confusion being a family member, I could not understand what was happening," Rohit Pawar, who is the grandson of Sharad Pawar's elder brother Appasaheb Pawar, told a news channel.

He made the remarks when asked about what he felt when Ajit Pawar took oath as deputy chief minister after tying up with the BJP last Saturday. "But we were sure (about his return). We knew Dada well," Rohit Pawar said.

Ajit Pawar, who won the October 21 state polls from Pune's Baramati seat with a margin of 1.65 lakh votes, shocked his party and family last Saturday after he joined hands with the BJP and became deputy chief minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government. The NCP sacked him as its legislature unit leader the same day.

However, he continues to be a member of the party. Ajit Pawar on Tuesday resigned as Dy CM citing "personal reason", following which Fadnavis too stepped down as chief minister, bringing the curtains down on the 80-hour- old BJP-led government in Maharashtra.

-PTI

Also Read: Devendra Fadnavis on Ajit Pawar: Will say right thing at right time