NCP(SP) chief and Ajit Pawar's uncle, Sharad Pawar, said on Saturday that he has no information that his nephew's widow, Sunetra Pawar, would be sworn in as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister today.
The Rajya Sabha MP will replace her late husband in the cabinet and will continue to hold the Excise and Sports ministries in the state government. The Finance Portfolio will remain temporarily with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis until the budget session in March, but will go to the NCP later.
His comment came after Fadnavis said the Mahayuti would support the NCP's decision on the vacant deputy CM post. After Ajit Pawar died in the January 28 plane crash, a section of NCP leaders demanded that she be given the post held by her late husband in the state cabinet.
"I have no information about it. Her party must have decided...What I saw in the newspaper today: some names like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare who have taken the initiative to make some decisions. I had no discussion on this. I have no information about this...I am not even aware if it is happening,” Sharad Pawar was quoted as saying by PTI.
He said that the NCP must have made the decision. "Some people like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare took the initiative. These people might have decided something."
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Commenting on the talks of a merger between the two factions of NCP, the veteran politician said that the process has been put on hold following Ajit Pawar's death in the Baramati plane crash.
He said, "Now we feel his wish should be fulfilled. Ajit Pawar, Shashikant Shinde and Jayant Patil had initiated the talks about the merger of the two factions. Even the merger date had been fixed — it was scheduled on the 12th February. Unfortunately, Ajit left us before that."
Moreover, the February 7 local polls are likely to serve as a "coordinated tribute" to Ajit Pawar, with both the NCP factions contesting together under the clock symbol.
NCP(SP) chief and Ajit Pawar's uncle, Sharad Pawar, said on Saturday that he has no information that his nephew's widow, Sunetra Pawar, would be sworn in as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister today.
The Rajya Sabha MP will replace her late husband in the cabinet and will continue to hold the Excise and Sports ministries in the state government. The Finance Portfolio will remain temporarily with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis until the budget session in March, but will go to the NCP later.
His comment came after Fadnavis said the Mahayuti would support the NCP's decision on the vacant deputy CM post. After Ajit Pawar died in the January 28 plane crash, a section of NCP leaders demanded that she be given the post held by her late husband in the state cabinet.
"I have no information about it. Her party must have decided...What I saw in the newspaper today: some names like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare who have taken the initiative to make some decisions. I had no discussion on this. I have no information about this...I am not even aware if it is happening,” Sharad Pawar was quoted as saying by PTI.
He said that the NCP must have made the decision. "Some people like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare took the initiative. These people might have decided something."
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Commenting on the talks of a merger between the two factions of NCP, the veteran politician said that the process has been put on hold following Ajit Pawar's death in the Baramati plane crash.
He said, "Now we feel his wish should be fulfilled. Ajit Pawar, Shashikant Shinde and Jayant Patil had initiated the talks about the merger of the two factions. Even the merger date had been fixed — it was scheduled on the 12th February. Unfortunately, Ajit left us before that."
Moreover, the February 7 local polls are likely to serve as a "coordinated tribute" to Ajit Pawar, with both the NCP factions contesting together under the clock symbol.
