Ajit Pawar says no 'formula' under discussion for CM's post in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said no "formula" was being discussed for the chief minister's post and a decision on it will be taken together by the Mahayuti partners.

Speaking to reporters here, NCP leader Pawar also said the Mahayuti got such a huge mandate and the MVA did not even have enough numbers to stake claim for the leader of opposition's post in the state assembly.

Pawar also acknowledged the contribution of the government's Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides financial assistance to women, in the Mahayuti's victory in the just-concluded state assembly polls.

The deputy CM paid tributes to Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan at his memorial 'Pritisangam' in Karad on his death anniversary.

In the state poll results declared on Saturday, the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and NCP, bagged an impressive 230 of the 288 assembly seats.

BJP leader and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis is being seen as a strong contender to occupy the top post for the third time, as his party bagged 132 of the 149 seats it contested.

Notably, Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar has said his party legislators feel Shinde should continue as CM.

Asked if any "formula" for the CM's post was being decided, Pawar said, "There is no formula being discussed. We three (allies) will sit together and discuss on CM's post."  "Yesterday, NCP selected me as the party's leader in the assembly. Eknath Shinde was also elected as Shiv Sena's leader in the assembly and BJP will also do the same. We will sit together and discuss and will provide a stable government," he said.

Pawar also said they will decide what formula to work out on the cabinet formation among the three parties.

"There are news reports that government should be formed before November 27 or else there will be President's rule, but there's nothing like that," the NCP leader said.

"We now have a massive majority that not a single party from the opposition has got enough numbers to nominate leader of the opposition. This is a fact and one cannot deny it," he said.

Fadnavis and Shinde will keep up the tradition of respecting the opposition and other members in the assembly, he said.

A great responsibility has come on shoulders of the Mahayuti leaders, Pawar said.

He acknowledged the contribution of the Ladki Bahin scheme in the Mahayuti's win.

"We cannot ignore that Ladki Bahin helped us in this election. We are grateful to them (women voters)," he said.

Defending the scheme, Pawar, who is also the state finance minister, said, "Had I been opposed to the Ladki Bahin scheme, I would not have presented it in the House. I discussed the scheme with several retired finance officers before finalising it."  Pawar also dismissed concerns raised by some opposition leaders over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), pointing out that polls in states like Punjab, West Bengal and Telangana, governed by their political opponents, have been conducted with the same system.

He was responding to NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar's comments about a pattern of the BJP winning a bigger state while a smaller state going to its opponents.

"During the Lok Sabha polls, Mahayuti faced a humiliating defeat (in Maharashtra). That time, we accepted the mandate. That time, the EVM was perfect (for opposition). There is no reason to blame the EVMs as success and failure depend on voters," he said. ed.

In Satara district, not a single MVA candidate won any seat. "It shows voters prefer to elect whosoever they feel is appropriate," he added.

Asked about Sharad Pawar's remarks that fielding his grandnephew Yugendra Pawar against Ajit wasn't a wrong decision, the deputy CM asked if there were no other candidate to be put up against him.

"Yugendra is into business and he has no links with politics. There was no reason to field my nephew, who is the son of my younger brother. I tried convincing that I had committed a mistake during Lok Sabha polls, but still a candidate from the family was fielded," he said.

"I don't want to comment further on this. I have got tired of apologising for fielding my wife against (cousin) Supriya (in Lok Sabha polls). Yugendra was in business, then why was he prepared to contest against me?" the NCP leader added.

He noted that in Aheri seat, NCP leader Dharamraobaba Atram's daughter Bhagyashree Atram was pitted against him by NCP (SP).

"In many constituencies, family members were pitted against each other," he added.

Asked about Sharad Pawar's remarks that those who deserted him parted ways with the values of Y B Chavan, the deputy CM said, "We are following the values and ideology of Chavan."  "How long we will be criticised?" he asked.

"Was there support of Chavan saheb to whatever happened in 1978 (referring to formation of coalition government in the state by Sharad Pawar after rebellion)? One can't just play politics of convenience. Today whatever we do, we are being criticised. We are also walking the path shown by Chavan saheb, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Babasaheb Ambedkar," Pawar said.