JE News Desk: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that there is no leader like him. The 63-year-old leader orchestrated a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and became the deputy chief minister of the state after joining the BJP-Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) government.
"The country is marching ahead under his (Modi's) leadership. We have joined the government to support him," Ajit Pawar was quoted as saying by news agency PTI after inaugurating his NCP faction’s new office in south Mumbai. "There is no leader like Modi. There is no alternative to him," he further said.
When asked why he decided to join the Shinde-Fadnavis government, Ajit Pawar on Sunday hailed PM Modi and said, "There can be no doubt that PM Modi is working towards developing the country".
Ajit Pawar has praised the prime minister on multiple occasions while declaring that he will never leave NCP. However, earlier on Sunday, he along with eight other NCP MLAs including Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde, Dilip Walse Patil, Sanjay Bansode and Aditi Tatkare among others took an oath to join the ruling government.
The newly elected Maharashtra deputy chief minister indicated that the allocation of portfolios in the state ministry may not be announced immediately.
When asked if some ministers in the Eknath Shinde faction are unhappy over his inclusion in the ministry, he replied, "We all have decided to work together. There is no question of disgruntlement.”
Ajit Pawar’s move to join the BJP-Shiv Sena government shocked his uncle, Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago after quitting Congress. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar convened a meeting on July 5 in Mumbai to discuss the future course of action. The meeting will be held at YB Chavan Centre in south Mumbai, said the party's state unit chief Jayant Patil.