Mumbai: 40 NCP MLAs supporting Maharashtra government, says state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule

Chandrashekhar Bawankule. File Pic

Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday claimed 40 of 53 MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are supporting the state government, the PTI reported.

Chandrashekhar Bawankule was speaking to reporters after NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister while eight MLAs of the Sharad Pawar-led party took oath as ministers in the government led by Shiv Sena and BJP.

IN PHOTOS: Ajit Pawar sworn in as deputy CM of Maharashtra

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"40 out of 53 MLAs of NCP are supporting the state government," Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, according to the PTI.

Meanwhile, marking a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), its senior leader Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government as deputy chief minister on Sunday.

While Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister by Governor Ramesh Bais at the ceremony held in the Raj Bhawan, nine other NCP leaders took oath as ministers.

Those who were sworn in as ministers are Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Aditi Tatkare, Dharmarao Atram, Anil Patil and Sanjay Bansode.

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who was present in the Raj Bhawan, said Ajit Pawar has resigned as the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Lower House and he has accepted it.

Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal and NCP working president Praful Patel were also present in the Raj Bhawan.

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule claimed 40 MLAs of NCP (out of the total 53) have supported the state government.

Out of the total 53 NCP MLAs in the state, 30 are apparently with Ajit Pawar, who is the leader of opposition in the state Assembly, reported news agency PTI.

Ajit Pawar met some party leaders and MLAs at his official residence 'Devgiri' in Mumbai earlier in the day.

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and party's working president Supriya Sule were among the leaders present at the meeting held at Ajit Pawar's official residence 'Devgiri', while state party president Jayant Patil was not present.

Some MLAs were also present in the meeting.

Recently, NCP chief Sharad Pawar entrusted the responsibility of Maharashtra to his daughter and MP Supriya Sule by appointing her as a working president.

Praful Patel is another working president for other states.

(with inputs from PTI)