Ajit Pawar Was Double Agent Of
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c m y k c m y k THE LARGEST CIRCULATED ENGLISH DAILY IN SOUTH INDIA Vol. 82 No. 324 Established 1938 deccanchronicle.com, facebook.com/deccannews HYDERABAD I SUNDAY I 24 NOVEMBER 2019 48 PAGES PLUS A FREE COPY OF 16-PAGE SUNDAY CHRONICLE | `7.00 WTFadnavis Ajit rebels, ditches uncle to back BJP govt BHAGWAN PARAB | DC MUMBAI, NOV. 23 Politics in Maharashtra was turned on its head as the BJP, in a midnight coup, snatched triumph from the Maha Vikas Aghadi — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress — by engineering a split in the Sharad Pawar-led NCP on Saturday. In a dramatic early morning devel- opment, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari swore in Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister and rebel NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who had the support of some NCP MLAs, as deputy Chief Minister. The Governor gave the new govern- ment time till November 30 to prove its majority in the Assembly. However, in another twist, the NCP Newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis with his claimed that the majority of MLAs deputy Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Saturday. — PTI that had initially gone with Ajit Pawar had returned to the party fold. SATURDAY It sacked Ajit Pawar as the leader of 2.30 am | Governor its legislative party in the evening and in his place appointed Jayant recommends removal Patil, a trusted lieutenant of Sharad of President’s Rule. Pawar. 5.30 am | Ajit Pawar, NCP MP Supriya Sule, daughter of Fadnavis arrive at Raj Sharad Pawar, meanwhile appealed Bhavan. to Ajit Pawar to resign as deputy Chief Minister. 5.47 am | President’s Till Friday, the Sena-NCP-Congress Rule is revoked. alliance looked set to form the next 7.50 am | Governor government, with Sena chief Uddhav administers the oath Thackeray as the likely Chief Minister. It was not to be. of office Fadnavis, In the early hours of Saturday, the Pawar. Governor announced that the 8.40 am | Modi con- President’s Rule stood revoked. It gratulates new CM launched a series of developments and deputy CM. 12.45 pm | Sharad PG 7 | AJIT PAWAR SACKED Pawar, Sena hold a joint press conference; vow to defeat the Fadnavis government that not only rocked state politics but during the floor test. also thwarted the Maha Vikas NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Aghadi bid to form a government. Thackeray during a joint press conference in Mumbai 7.30 pm | Ajit sacked The operation was carried out in on Saturday. as legislative chief. total secrecy and no one had a clue. At about 8 am, nearly a dozen NCP MLAs accompanied Ajit Pawar to Raj Bhavan for the swearing-in. They Ajit Pawar was double included Bharat Shingane, Sandeep Kshirsagar, Sunil Bhusara, Balasaheb Patil, Daulat Daroda, Narhari Zirwal, Manikrao Kokate, Dilip Bankar, Sunil Tingre, Sunil agent of ‘Pune man’ Shelke, Anil Patil and Sunil Solanke. Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were SANJAY BASAK | DC was that he was already the leader of administered their oaths in quick NEW DELHI, NOV 23 NCP’s legislative party and was a succession. grass-roots leader. Later in the day, however, the NCP A few days after November 8, when Sources disclosed that Ajit Pawar claimed that most of those MLAs had Devendra Fadnavis resigned as Chief was also “entrusted” with the task of returned. Minister, a saffron leader in Pune derailing and delaying the NCP- “We had no idea of the reason we swung into action. The “man from Congress talks. “By making impossi- were taken to Raj Bhavan,” Shingane Pune” close to the BJP high com- ble demands, Ajit would delay the claimed. “We stand with Sharad mand in Maharashtra and to Ajit negotiations,” sources said. Pawar.” The Congress, the NCP and Pawar, made a call to the latter and In Delhi, Ajit Pawar reportedly the Sena criticised the Union govern- began clandestine negotiations to deployed NCP MP Sunil Tatkare to ment and the Governor for the haste form a BJP-Ajit Pawar government. continue his secret talks with the shown in administering the oath to BJP had identified Ajit Pawar as the BJP. Tatkare also began tapping the Fadnavis. Sharad Pawar described “weak link” which “with a little pres- NCP MLAs and enticing them to Ajit Pawar’s decision to join hands sure was likely to snap.” switch allegiance. with the BJP as an act of indiscipline, The “Pune man” thus began the The issue that riled Ajit Pawar was and said Ajit and other party MLAs master-plan for the midnight coup the NCP-Congress’ decision to freeze who switched sides would attract that India woke up to on Saturday the Chief Minister’s berth for the provisions of the anti-defection law. morning. The main hurdle was uncle Shiv Sena for five years. Ajit Pawar Claiming that the new BJP-led dis- Sharad Pawar, who had begun a wanted the post on a rotational basis. pensation would not pass the floor covert dialogue with the Shiv Sena. Sources revealed that as the meet- test, he asserted that the Shiv Sena- The second and the trickier issue was ings between Sena-NCP and Congress NCP-Congress combine had the num- winning over NCP MLAs and split- gained momentum, the BJP central bers and would ultimately form the ting the party. leadership got in touch with Ajit. government. The “Pune man” and Ajit Pawar “Sins are committed in the dark of began tapping the MLAs individual- ■ Page 8 : Pawar turned down night,” said Uddhav Thackeray. ly. What worked to Ajit’s advantage Modi’s request SC to hear Ajit is in touch Speaker poll Sena plea with 30 MLAs is acid test PRAMOD KUMAR | DC SONU SHRIVASTAVA | DC BHAGWAN PARAB | DC NEW DELHI, NOV. 23 MUMBAI, NOV. 23 MUMBAI, NOV. 23 The Shiv Sena, NCP and the Though the government has been Governor B.S Koshyari has given a Congress on Saturday night moved formed, it is still not clear if it has a deadline of November 30 for Chief the Supreme Court seeking the clear majority. Minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove quashing of Governor Bhagat Singh The BJP has 105 MLAs and needs 40 his majority in the Vidhan Sabha, Koshiyari’s decision to invite Chief more to reach the majority mark. but the actual show of strength Minister Devendra Fadnavis to form According to sources, nearly 28 to will be election of the Assembly government and swearing in him 30 NCP MLAs are with Ajit Pawar. Speaker. and deputy CM Ajit Anantrao Pawar. The BJP also has the support of This will come first, and will deter- The hearing will take place today at around 15 independent MLAs. mine whether Fadnavis will continue 11.30 am. as CM or not. ■ Full report on Page 7 ■ Full report on Page 8 ■ Full report on Page 8 DEJA VU THE PAWAR VS PAWAR BATTLE MOVE FROM KAKA’S PLAYBOOK BHAGWAN PARAB | DC APRAMEYA RAO | DC MUMBAI, NOV. 23 MUMBAI, NOV. 23 “Party and family splits.” This WhatsApp status posted In splitting the NCP, Ajit Pawar managed to repeat what by NCP MP Supriya Sule on Saturday said it all. Her post his uncle Sharad Pawar had done in July 1978 to become read: "Whom to trust? The biggest cheating in my life. Chief Minister. An election in 1978 threw a hung What did I receive in lieu of the support and love I gave Assembly with the Janata Party emerging as the single- to him? (sic)" largest party at 99 seats. However, the two factions of the Later, an emotional Ms Sule broke into tears while Congress together held over 130. With the support of speaking to the media. smaller parties and independents, the uneasy post-poll It was not the first time that a dispute in the Pawar fam- coalition enjoyed a wafer-thin majority of just four seats. ily came out into the open. Earlier there were murmurs With an unsteady alliance the Vasantdada Patil-led gov- that not all was well in the family headed by NCP chief ernment was always on notice. That the government Sharad Pawar. The signs of conflict were visible on sev- would fall was never in doubt. The end was brought eral occasions. about by the then-37-year-old Sharad Pawar. ■ Full Report on Page 8 ■ Full report on Page 8 c m y k c m y k THE LARGEST CIRCULATED ENGLISH DAILY IN SOUTH INDIA Vol. 82 No. 324 Established 1938 deccanchronicle.com, facebook.com/deccannews HYDERABAD I SUNDAY I 24 NOVEMBER 2019 48 PAGES PLUS A FREE COPY OF 16-PAGE SUNDAY CHRONICLE | `7.00 WTFadnavis Ajit rebels, ditches uncle to back BJP govt BHAGWAN PARAB | DC MUMBAI, NOV. 23 Politics in Maharashtra was turned on its head as the BJP, in a midnight coup, snatched triumph from the Maha Vikas Aghadi — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress — by engineering a split in the Sharad Pawar-led NCP on Saturday. In a dramatic early morning devel- opment, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari swore in Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister and rebel NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who had the support of some NCP MLAs, as deputy Chief Minister. The Governor gave the new govern- ment time till November 30 to prove its majority in the Assembly. However, in another twist, the NCP Newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis with his claimed that the majority of MLAs deputy Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Saturday. — PTI that had initially gone with Ajit Pawar had returned to the party fold. SATURDAY It sacked Ajit Pawar as the leader of 2.30 am | Governor its legislative party in the evening and in his place appointed Jayant recommends removal Patil, a trusted lieutenant of Sharad of President’s Rule.