Maha stunner: Ambedkar fires veiled barb at Sharad Pawar

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar has sought to link Saturday's political developments in Maharashtra with Sharad Pawar's recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, though he didn't take name of the NCP chief.

In a dramatic turn of events, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined hands with the BJP, which had earlier missed a shot to form a government, and took oath as deputy of Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister at Raj Bhavan in early morning.

"Some leaders of the NCP met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and (BJP chief) Amit Shah. The purpose (of the meeting) was stated to be to discuss issues concerning rain-hit farmers. Two days ago, Maharashtra governor announced compensation to farmers. The perception that something was fishy started developing from that point (Pawar-Modi meet)," Ambedkar told reporters.

Sharad Pawar had on November 20 met the prime minister in Parliament ostensibly to discuss farmers' distress in Maharashtra, two days after the PM praised the NCP for maintaining discipline on floor.

His meeting happened at a time when the Congress and the NCP stepped up momentum on forming a government in collaboration with the Shiv Sena.

Ambedkar said he was not surprised over the turn of political events.

"I had already said that the Shiv Sena should not become a parrot. It is necessary to remain vigilant in politics," he said.

Ambedkar further said it was hard to believe that the governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari acted suddenly.

He expressed fear that Mumbai will become a Union Territory (UT).

Earlier in the day, Sharad Pawar expressed shock over Ajit, the NCP's legislative party leader, joining hands with the BJP.

In the 288-member Assembly, the BJP has 105 MLAs, the Shiv Sena 56, the NCP 54 and the Congress 44. The halfway mark is 145.