No going back? Ajit Pawar thanks Amit Shah amid NCP's efforts to reconcile

NCP leader and Sharad Pawar's nephew, Ajit Pawar, in a surprising move, on Saturday, took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra alongside Devendra Fadnavis who was sworn in as the Chief Minister. Since then he had remained silent, until Sunday when he thanked all the leaders who had wished him for taking oath as the Dy CM of the state. Replying to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's tweet, Ajit Pawar thanked him for his good wishes. Notably, Ajit Pawar's tweet comes against the backdrop of the NCP submitting his name as part of its list of MLAs for the Maharashtra Governor, with Jayant Patil proceeding to meet Ajit Pawar to try to convince him to return to the party fold.

'Thank you for your good wishes'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday congratulated Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for swearing-in as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra respectively. Taking to Twitter, Shah said that he was confident that the newly formed government will be committed to the development and welfare of the state.

Shah's tweet

Taking to Twitter, he wrote: "My heartiest congratulations to Mr Devendra Fadnavis and Mr Ajit Pawar on swearing-in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Deputy Chief Minister of the state. I am confident that this government will be committed to the development and welfare of Maharashtra and will set new standards of progress in the state."

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Ajit Pawar refuses to budge

After taking oath as the Deputy CM of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar said, "From result day to this day no party was able to form a Government, Maharashtra was facing many problems including farmer issues, so we decided to form a stable Government." According to sources, the rebel NCP leader and Sharad Pawar's nephew has denied to come back or even talk to the senior NCP leaders. After NCP leaders Dilip Walse Patil, Sunil Tatkare came to meet the Deputy Chief Minister at his brother, Sriniwas Pawar's residence, Ajit Pawar refused to speak to any senior NCP leader, including Praful Patel or Supriya Sule.

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