The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has accepted Ajit Pawar’s resignation as deputy chief minister, party chief Sharad Pawar said on Friday.
Agriculture minister and uncle of Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar, also said the resignations submitted by the party’s 19 ministers would not be accepted. The Congress-NCP government would continue to function normally, he said.
The NCP has informed Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan of Ajit’s resignation, and he has been requested to forward it to Governor K Sankaranarayanan. The NCP reiterated that the post of the deputy chief minister would be kept vacant, after Ajit quit over allegations of irregularities in irrigation projects when he was the water minister.
However, Ajit’s finance portfolio would be allocated to Jayant Patil, the rural development minister. Jayant Patil had assumed the post of finance minister during 1999 and 2008. Further, state higher and technical education minister Rajesh Tope would hold energy department, again held by Ajit.
Further, Union minister Sharad insisted that the government needs to bring out a white paper on irrigation at the earliest. The coverage of a mere 0.1 per cent area under irrigation by spending over Rs 70,000 crore in a decade, as claimed by Chief Minister Chavan, had led to a strong rebuttal from the NCP, especially from Ajit, who argued that 12 per cent area came under irrigation and it had benefitted agriculture and areas in the vicinity. Sharad said Ajit would rejoin the government honorably.
Till then, he would continue to work for the party organisation. The Union minister stressed that those looking for "Pawar versus Pawar masala" would be disappointed. He categorically denied any differences with nephew Ajit. "Our family is united. There are no differences."
Sharad has also completely rejected the party’s move to pull out of the Congress-led government in the state. Instead, he asked the party ministers and leaders to reach out to the people, explaining the works carried out in the irrigation sector and other developmental projects.
Ajit, who was literally gheraoed by his supporters, told Business Standard: "I was quite firm on my decision and there was no question of any reversal. I had informed my party president Sharad Pawar." He also ruled out reports of differences with his uncle, and said Pawar senior was like a god for him. "The news about a widening gap between me and Pawar Saab ... there was no truth in it."
However, Ajit left the state legislature when uncle Pawar addressed the press conference. This gave enough room for speculation that all was not well in the Pawar camp. Higher and technical education minister Rajesh Tope ruled out this theory and explained that Ajit had no intention of bypassing Sharad, but left quietly as the latter was addressing the media.
Earlier, Sharad closeted with Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel, Ajit and party MP Supriya Sule to discuss the situation.
Sources said the decision to accept Ajit’s resignation was accepted at the meeting. Thereafter, Sharad met senior party ministers to know their views. He also addressed a meeting of NCP legislators and MPs and announced the acceptance of his nephew’s resignation.
