What Ajit Pawar said about Eknath Shinde before joining him

Ajit Pawar deciding to join the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government has triggered a political maelstrom in Maharashtra that will affect politics nationally. With the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance now crumbling, the political winds ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections may have taken a distinct turn. Ajit Pawar, 63, Sharad Pawar's nephew and the man at the centre of Sunday's political processes made sudden movements typical to him on Sunday morning when he reached the Maharashtra Raj Bhawan to be sworn in as deputy chief minister of the state. He was accompanied by eight other NCP MLAs. Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis were also present. 

Explaining why he had taken the step, Ajit Pawar said his decision to support the government was meant to aid in the progress of Maharashtra and work for the betterment of the state. Pawar, who had taken oath as deputy chief minister in 2019 with Devendra Fadnavis chief minister for an extremely short-lived NCP-BJP alliance, until Sunday, has taken a number of potshots at Eknath Shinde. Here are some things Ajit Pawar has said about Eknath Shinde before joining his cabinet on July 2.         

The Eknath Shinde most popular ad controversy 

A few days ago, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena published an ad which showed him as the most popular chief minister of the state, without mentioning Devendra Fadnavis. The ad reportedly hurt the BJP leader and former chief minister. While the BJP was outraged over the ad, Ajit Pawar asked why the ad had no mention of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray or Anand Dighe. 

"It is an advertisement given by the Shiv Sena and it is their prerogative to decide on how to put a message. But this is for the first time that the ad from Shiv Sena does not have a photograph of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe. This is at a time when Chief Minister Eknath Shinde idolises them both.”

Ajit Pawar trains guns on Shinde after SC verdict

After the Supreme Court judgement on the Uddhav Thackeray-Eknath Shinde battle, Ajit Pawar had made a comment critical of the Maharashtra chief minister. 

"Don't even dream that the CM and the deputy CM would resign on the basis of morality. There is a huge difference between former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and these people," Ajit Pawar said.  

Ajit Pawar vs Eknath Shinde on fund allocation

Ajit Pawar sparked controversy last year during the monsoon session of the legislative assembly in Maharashtra accusing the ruling alliance of bias in allocation of funds to ruling party MLAs and opposition MLAs.    

“In the funds announced by the state government through supplementary demands, more funds have been announced in the constituencies of BJP and Shiv Sena MLAs and less funds have been announced for the constituencies of opposition’s group MLAs," Ajit Pawar had said.