Silent Coup: Ajit Pawar swears in as Dy. CM of Maharashtra, claims support of 35 MLAs

Hours before the ‘Silent Coup’ took place in Maharashtra, NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) leader Ajit Pawar who played the lead role, called for a meeting of top leaders of NCP at his residence. This meet was attended by Supriya Sule (Working President and very close to Sharad Pawar, basically his daughter) too! This meet started at around 12.25pm (1.2 hours before the ‘Silent Coup’). While the high voltage NCP meeting was ongoing, BJP (Bharathiya Janata Party)’s core committee met at Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis’ residence. This meeting started at around 1pm (45 minutes before the ‘Silent Coup’).

‘Silent Coup’ Unfolds

At around 1.45pm on the 2nd of July, news broke that Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis had reached Raj Bhawan. Their cars had entered the compounds of Raj Bhawan. After a few minutes, the cavalcade of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also entered the Raj Bhawan premises. This led to a huge speculation in the media. There was no discussion/reports of any such thing happening even a minute before the time the three leaders and their cavalcades entered the Raj Bhawan premises.

Live visuals started coming in by 2.05pm and it was not yet clear what the intentions were. After about 6 minutes, BJP’s state president confirmed that Ajit Pawar and a few of his MLAs will take oath. Ajit Pawar swore in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra with 9 NCP MLAs who swore in as Ministers. At first, the swearing in was scheduled at 4pm, but as soon as the governor arrived the ceremony began and the Ajit faction of NCP joined the Sena-BJP’s government in Maharashtra.

After math of the ‘Silent Coup’

After the Oath Ceremony, Ajit Pawar addressed a press conference.

Today, we have decided to support the Maharashtra government and took oath as ministers. There will be a discussion on the portfolios later. Considering all aspects at the national level, we thought that we should support development. Several people will criticise now a bit. We don’t give value to that and we will keep working for the progress of Maharashtra and that is why we have taken this decision. Most of our MLAs are satisfied with this. We have supported this govt with NCP Party. We will contest all elections in the name of NCP only. If we can go with BJP in Nagaland then why can’t we go with BJP here also. We will do everything for the betterment of Maharashtra. Some MLAs could not be contacted as they are out of country but I spoke to all of them and they agreed with our decision. We have all the numbers, all MLAs are with me. We are here as a party. We have informed all seniors also. The majority is given importance in a democracy. Our party is 24 years old and young leadership should come forward.

Ajit Pawar

At the very same press conference, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujabal spoke too.

We have joined the government as its third party. Few people are saying that we have split the party but that is not correct. We have come here as NCP. We have also criticised Modi govt on many occasions but it is true that the country is safe in his hands. Pawar Saheb himself said that Narendra Modi is coming back as the Prime Minister and as a positive gesture, we have decided to come with this govt for development. They (opposition) are saying that we are here because we have cases against us and we are under pressure. Most of us either no longer have cases against us or the investigations are underway. The Court has not taken any coercive steps against us because there is nothing concrete against us. So saying that we joined because we were under pressure is not correct

Chhagan Bhujabal

A response came from the former Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yeddiyurappa.

This is a very good development, I welcome that development in Maharashtra…I am happy about the decision and the people of Maharashtra are also happy..

BS Yeddiyurappa

President of the Republican Party of India, Ramdas Athawale spoke on this development.

Ajit Pawar was miffed since sometime, because he wanted NCP to ally with BJP but Sharad Pawar disagreed to it. I welcome the decision of Ajit Pawar… this is a big change and a big setback for NCP and MVA

Ramdas Athawale

Opposition leaders criticised the move. Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut spoke the following.

We already knew that this was going to happen. Eknath Shinde and the 16 MLAs that went with him will be disqualified. Maharashtra will get another CM in a few days

Sanjay Raut

After a some time, Sharad Pawar called for a press briefing.

I am receiving several calls from a lot of people, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, WB CM Mamata Banerjee and others have called me. I am not worried about whatever happened today. Tomorrow, I will take the blessings of YB Chavan (former Maharashtra CM) and will hold a public meeting. This is not ‘googly’, it is a robbery. It is not a small thing. Some of my colleagues have taken a different stand. I had called a meeting of all the leaders on 6th July where some important issue was to be discussed and some changes were to be made within the party but before that meeting, some of the leaders have taken a different stand. This is not a new thing. The party I was leading in 1980 had 58 MLAs, later all left and only 6 MLAs left, but I strengthened the numbers and those who left me lost in their constituencies. It is the right of the speaker to decide about of the leader of the Opposition. In the next two-three days, we will sit with Congress and Uddhav Thackeray to access the situation. Our main strength is the common people, they have elected us. Accusing the NCP, PM said leaders of party are involved in corruption & irrigation scam. Today it’s proved that allegations made by PM were wrong. I believe this action has been taken using agencies as 6-7 of our leaders have cases against them.

Sharad Pawar