Sharad Pawar Evasive About Ajit As Next Maharashtra CM, Speculation Revives About His Plans

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar’s equation with his nephew and opposition leader Ajit has always remained a subject of intense curiosity.  Pawar’s evasive response to a party MLA’s call to make Ajit Maharashtra’s next chief minister has now led to a spirited revival of earlier conjectures about his plans for the future. NCP MLA Nilesh Lanke, considered a close confidant of the NCP boss, had made the appeal in a Pune public meeting in presence of Ajit.  There is a firm perception that Lanke is being groomed by the party to contest the next Lok Sabha election from Ahmednagar district, a stronghold of the NCP. He is always found in the entourage of Pawar. The MLA had said, “We must make Ajitdada the next chief minister. Under his leadership, Maharashtra will record 25 years’ progress within five years.” When Sharad Pawar was quizzed about Lanke’s resolve at Nashik, he cryptically said, “Everyone is entitled to whatever he wishes. But you need to have numerical strength. Had the NCP been the largest party in the state, we could have taken decisions by consulting our party colleagues. However, as we lack that position today, I feel it would not be proper to comment on this.”  It is recalled that Ajit had taken oath as deputy chief minister with Devendra Fadnavis as CM in 2019. The coalition had survived for barely 72 hours.