"Be it a court stricture or the CM's talk of white paper on irrigation, any proper inquiry can't take place when the minister is in office," state unit BJP chief Sudhir Mungantiwar said.
"It is good that he has resigned," he said, adding the truth (in the alleged irrigation scam) should come out.
"It was necessary that he resign in wake of several scams. Hope it is not a political stunt. This scam should be probed independently," BJP MLA Devendra Phadanvis said.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray said Ajit Pawar's resignation was a "nautanki".
NCP MP from Baramati Supriya Sule, however, said she was proud of Ajit Pawar.
"NCP doesn't want to give political instability to the state. Ajit dada has taken the decision to resign after much thought. I am proud of my brother," she said.
"Ajit Pawar had spoken to me (before he announced the decision", Supriya added.