Would have brought along entire party had CM's post been offered: Ajit Pawar
Thane, Aug 7: Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said he would have brought the entire Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with him had the BJP and Shiv Sena offered him the chief minister's post.
Speaking at the launch of "Yoddha Karmayogi - Eknath Sambhaji Shinde", a biography of the current chief minister, Pawar noted in a lighter vein that in politics he was senior to both CM Shinde and fellow deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Shinde and Fadnavis were also present at the book launch.
Pawar rebelled against his uncle Sharad Pawar in July 2023 and joined the BJP-Sena government by splitting the NCP.
"All went ahead and I trailed behind," Ajit Pawar said, noting that Fadnavis first became an MLA in 1999 and Shinde in 2004, while he first became a member of the state assembly way back in 1990.
Fadnavis served as chief minister twice, from 2014 to 2019 and for 72 hours in 2019 when Ajit Pawar joined hands with him in a short-lived alliance government.
"I told a few people jokingly that when you (an apparent reference to the BJP) told Eknath Shinde to come along with these many MLAs and he would be made chief minister.....You should have asked me. I would have brought the entire party along," quipped Pawar.
"Whatever happens in life is planned by destiny," Pawar said with a mock seriousness, evoking laughter.
The NCP chief has not concealed his ambition to occupy the top post in the state in the past.
Shinde led a rebellion with 39 MLAs against then Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in 2022 which led to the collapse of the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Shinde then became the chief minister.
Pawar said he has seen several chief ministers, but none like Shinde who is surrounded by people all the time.
Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis noted that he himself is someone who became chief minister, leader of Opposition and then a deputy chief minister during a single assembly term (between 2019 and 2024).
Similarly, Pawar became deputy chief minister, the leader of Opposition and again a deputy chief minister during the same period, he said.
Speaking to reporters later, CM Shinde expressed confidence that his government would retain power after the assembly elections, thanks to its focus on development and welfare schemes over the past two years.
"The Mahayuti government has worked as a team, prioritizing both development and welfare schemes," he said.
He also announced that funds under the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' would be credited to the accounts of eligible women across the state before the Raksha Bandhan festival.
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BJP, TMC hail SC directions on counting of votes for West Bengal polls
Kolkata (PTI): The BJP and TMC on Saturday both hailed the SC directions on the Election Commission's circular over the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.
The apex court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against the April 13 circular.
In a social media post, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "In yet another legal setback, the Supreme Court has refused to intervene. The Trinamool Congress had approached the court challenging the exclusion of state government employees from vote-counting supervisor duties, and had sought an urgent hearing."
"The refusal to entertain this plea underscores a clear message -- attempts to influence or cast doubt over the integrity of the counting process will not find easy validation. Another day, another judicial rebuff for Mamata Banerjee," he added.
The TMC, however, claimed that the SC directions vindicated its stand.
"The issue raised before the Hon'ble Supreme Court pertained to the implementation of the said communication in a manner whereby only Central Government/Central PSU employees were being appointed as Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants for counting of votes," the party said in a statement.
The TMC said it was highlighted that such an interpretation and implementation of the communication would be contrary to the framework of a fair and balanced counting process.
"After hearing the parties, the Hon'ble Supreme Court directed that Clause 1 of the communication dated 13.04.2026, relating to the appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants, must be read along with the salient feature contained in the second page of the said communication, which provides for random selection of both State Government and Central Government employees," it said.
"The Hon'ble Supreme Court has further recorded the undertaking of Mr Dama Seshadri Naidu, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Election Commission of India that the said communication shall be followed in its letter and spirit," it added.
The TMC said that in view of the directions, it is expected that the counting of votes shall be conducted in a fair, transparent, and balanced manner.
A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the EC can choose the counting personnel, and its April 13 circular, which provides for deployment of state government employees as well, cannot be said to be incorrect.
The poll body said the apprehensions of TMC of any wrongdoing are misplaced, as the circular very clearly states that there will be a mix of central and state government employees.
The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit, and there would be state government employees also during the counting of votes on May 4.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
On April 30, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the TMC's petition against the Election Commission circular, saying there was no illegality in the poll panel's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from Central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, instead of the state government staff.
