Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government as deputy chief minister on Sunday. Eight other party leaders also sworn in as ministers of the Maharashtra government.

For the third time in four years, Ajit took oath as the deputy chief minister. Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal and NCP working president Praful Patel were also present in the Raj Bhawan.

Here is the timeline of events that led to Ajit Pawar joining hands with Shinde-BJP government:

In the last week of April, a group of NCP leaders (Chaggan Bhujbal, Praful Patel, Hasan Mushrif, Dilip Walse Patil, Dhananjay Munde and Sunil Tatkare) told Sharad Pawar that NCP should join hands with BJP

May 2: Sharad Pawar, during a book launch, announced that he has decided to resign from the post of NCP president.

May 5: NCP's internal committee rejects Sharad's resignation. He agrees to continue as the party president. Ajit did not attend the press conference where the internal committee rejected Sharad's resignation.

June 10: NCP chief Sharad Pawar appointed Praful Patel and daughter Supriya Sule as working presidents of the party. No party post was given to Ajit.

Lately, Ajit has expressed his desire to relieve him of the post of Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly. He wanted a role in the party.

Also read: Ajit Pawar new Maha deputy CM: State sees four oath-taking ceremonies in four years

June 23: The presence of Sharad Pawar and party's working president Supriya Sule at the Opposition meeting in Patna had irked Ajit and his supporters.

June 28: Shinde and Ajit went to Delhi.

June 29: Fadnavis said that cabinet expansion in Maharashtra will happen soon.

June 30: Ajit resigned as the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Lower House. Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar accepts it.

July 2: Ajit met some party leaders and MLAs at his official residence 'Devgiri' in Mumbai. Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and party's working president Supriya Sule were among the leaders present at the meeting. However, Sule left the meeting early.

July 2: Ajit Pawar took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Elections to the 288-member state Assembly are due in 2024. The political development comes a year after a revolt led by Shinde against the Shiv Sena (then undivided) led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

On June 30, 2022, Shinde sworn in as the chief minister with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis as the deputy chief minister.

First Published:Jul 2, 2023 5:18 PM IST