Want Ajit Pawar to stay in NCP's fold, says Chhagan Bhujbal

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal appealed to the party chief Sharad Pawar that senior leader Ajit Pawar be persuaded to return to the party fold keeping his "contribution" to the organisation in mind. Earlier in the day, Ajit Pawar, who had lent support to the BJP-led government on Saturday, resigned as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.

Mumbai: Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Wednesday said that the party leaders want Ajit Pawar, who had shaken hands with the BJP and sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, to stay in NCP's fold.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting at party chief Sharad Pawar's residence, Bhujbal said, "Everyone, all the MLAs, want Ajit Pawar to come back to the NCP. We requested the party leadership and also insisted Ajit Pawar to talk to Sharad Pawar. They have met but we don't know what they discussed in the meeting."

Bhujbal said that discussions were also held by his party leaders on the future course of action of NCP which has entered into an alliance with Shiv Sena and Congress to form government in the state.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Raosaheb Patil Danve has claimed that Ajit Pawar has not betrayed the party.

Late on Tuesday, Danve, commenting on Ajit Pawar meeting NCP chief, said: "I don't think he (Ajit Pawar) has betrayed us but he should be asked why he went there to meet him, I can't say anything."

This comes after Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari announced that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will take oath as the Chief Minister of the state on November 28.

Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar were, in a surprising turn of events, administered oath as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of the state, respectively, on Saturday morning. Both the leaders resigned on Tuesday.