"It's A Hit Wicket": Eknath Shinde On Ajit Pawar's Mutiny

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said that some people were talking about googly and clean bowled but everyone saw who has been clean bowled and added that it's a hit wicket.

"This is not a new government, Shiv Sena and BJP government were functioning under PM Modi's leadership. Development work was going on and Ajit Pawar who believed in the development work, supported and joined the government," Eknath Shinde said.

"I welcome him and his MLAs wholeheartedly. He has a lot of MPs and MLAs which will definitely help in the development of Maharashtra. This double-engine government will now run at the speed of a bullet train. MVA government is broken... Some people were talking about googly and clean bowled, but everyone saw today who was clean bowled...it's a hit wicket", CM Shinde added.

In a dramatic turn of events, Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Ajit Pawar and eight party leaders joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister.

Ajit Pawar justified his party's decision to join the NDA government in Maharashtra and emphasized that the country has progressed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He explained that the decision was taken as they intend to contest the upcoming polls with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"The country is progressing under the leadership of PM Modi. He is also popular in other countries. Everyone supports him and appreciates his leadership. We will fight the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections with them (BJP), which is why we have taken this decision," he said.

Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Aditi Tatkare, Dhananjay Munde, Hasan Mushrif, Ramraje Nimbalkar, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Bhaidas Patil took oath at Raj Bhawan today.

Hours after Ajit Pawar and some other Nationalist Congress Party leaders joined the Maharashtra government, party chief Sharad Pawar said, "this is not 'googly', it is a robbery" and that he was worried about the future of those who left the party.

He also hinted at action against party leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, saying they did not follow their responsibilities. Sharad Pawar said some of those who joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government were facing ED cases.

Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Minister. Eight other NCP leaders took oath as ministers.

"This is not 'googly', it is a robbery. It is not a small thing," Sharad Pawar said.

"Some of my colleagues have taken a different stand. I had called a meeting of all the leaders on July 6, 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."

Sharad Pawar said that in the next two-three days, they will sit with Congress and Uddhav Thackeray to access the situation. "Our main strength is the common people, they have elected us".

Apparently referring to Ajit Pawar who faced accusations related to the alleged irrigation scam, Pawar took a dig at BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, "it is clear that all the charges have been cleared".

"Two days ago the PM had said about NCP... He had said two things in his statement that NCP is a finished party. He mentioned irrigation complaint and allegations of corruption. I am happy that some of my colleagues have taken oath. From this (joining the NDA government) it is clear that all the charges have been cleared. I am thankful to him," Pawar said.

Sharad Pawar said he had dealt with splits earlier and rejuvenated the party.

"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," he said.

The former Maharashtra Chief Minister said he has been receiving calls from other opposition leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over developments in Maharashtra.

"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."

He said senior leaders will sit to decide about any action against the rebel leaders.

"We will work to strengthen the party again. MLAs and all senior leaders will sit together to decide about any action against the rebel leaders. Being the president, I had appointed Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare but they did not follow their responsibilities. Therefore, I have to take some action against them," he said.

"I will never say that my home has split, this issue is not regarding my home, this is the issue of people. I am worried about the future of those who left. I want to give the credit for this to PM Modi. Two days ago, he had made statements and after that statement, some people started feeling uneasy, some of them were also facing ED actions," he added.

On Monday, the NCP supremo will address a public gathering in former Maharashtra Chief Minister YB Chavan's hometown Karad.

"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 said after taking oath as Deputy Chief Minister.

Newly appointed Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said, "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."

According to the party sources, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has the backing of 40 NCP MLAs & 6 NCP MLCs.

MLAs accompanying Ajit Pawar to Raj Bhawan were upset with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's 'unilateral' decision to share the stage and ally with Rahul Gandhi at the opposition unity meet in Bihar's Patna last month, as per the sources.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Will Write To PM Modi Regarding Defeat In Karnataka": BJP Leader

Karnataka BJP leader and former MLA M P Renukacharya, who has been served a notice by the party for "anti-party" remarks, on Saturday said he will not fear such things and will write a letter to the national leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the defeat in the Assembly polls and those responsible for it.

The former Minister who met veteran party leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said abiding by the latter's instructions, he will not make public statements regarding party before the media.

His meeting with Yediyurappa came a day after he skipped the meeting called by the party's state leadership, with 11 leaders who had either indulged in anti-party activities or were making public statements, which had caused embarrassment to the BJP.

"They issued notice to Renukacharya, will I fear for notice? No....we got to know about the existence of the disciplinary committee after I was served the notice. The State President said eleven people have been served notice. You make public about serving notice to Renukacharya by releasing it to the media, but what about notice to the other ten," Renukacharya said.

Speaking to reporters, he said, "I will write letters to Delhi leaders like Prime Minister, Amit Shah (Home Minister)and J P Nadda (BJP national president) regarding the situation in Karnataka. If I get an opportunity I will meet the party national President and tell him the reasons for BJP's defeat in Karnataka and who are all responsible for it." The Karnataka BJP on Thursday had issued notice to Renukacharya for his "anti-party" remarks. He has been given one week's time to give a written reply to the show-cause notice issued by the state disciplinary committee of the party.

The party had officially released the notice served to Renukacharya, the former Honnali MLA.

Renukacharya had said on Thursday that the party's state president Nalin Kumar Kateel should have resigned from the post, taking moral responsibility for the Assembly poll debacle.

Targeting party leaders without taking any names, he had alleged that the BJP office has been turned into a "corporate office", and urged them to introspect and work towards strengthening the party and boosting the morale of the workers for the Lok Sabha elections and the zilla and taluk panchayat polls, among others.

Alleging that false news is being spread that he will be joining the Congress, Renukacharya said he will stay in the party and abide by Yediyurappa's directions.

"But, there is no change in my stand...several false decisions by the party and its governemnt, not putting efforts for developing a caste combination, not having senior leaders in preparing manifesto, neglecting seniors in the party like Yediyurappa -- led to defeat in the Assembly polls. I will continue to say it. But will not make public statements before the media respecting Yediyurappa's instructions," he added.

Noting that he cannot remain silent if Yediyurappa is "humiliated", the former Minister said they said as Yediyurappa is aged so he had to step down from the CM post, but they needed the same person to travel across the state to campaign and organise the party. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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The decision was taken in a meeting of party workers, leaders and office-bearers called by newly-appointed AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress Deepak Babaria, who also passed two resolutions - political and organisational - after the meeting.

"Congress will spread Rahul Gandhi's message of love as his fight against the politics of hatred has resonated across the country. We will focus on door-to-door interaction with people and further energise the grass-roots level workers in the national capital," Mr Babaria said while addressing the party workers.

Mr Babaria, a Gujarat Congress leader, formally took charge as in-charge of Delhi Congress at Rajiv Bhawan in Delhi on Saturday.

Lashing out at the Aam Aadmi Party, Mr Babaria said despite AAP securing a 13 per cent vote share in the Gujarat assembly elections, Mr Kejriwal has not visited the state in the past six months.

He further alleged that AAP and BJP were "two sides of the same coin".

"Congress workers pledge to fight unitedly, with all its might, against the corrupt BJP-ruled Central Government and AAP in the 2024 Parliamentary elections," read the resolution passed after the meeting.

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