NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar said that Ajit Pawar had defied the party’s policies. (Express file photo) NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar said that Ajit Pawar had defied the party’s policies. (Express file photo)

NCP leader Ajit Pawar was Saturday removed as the party’s legislative party leader, hours after he joined hands with BJP to form the government in Maharashtra and took oath as deputy chief minister.

The decision was taken at a key party meet called in the aftermath of frantic political developments in the state. NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar said that his nephew had defied the party’s policies.

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A resolution was passed during at the legislature wing’s party meeting which saw 49 out of 54 NCP MLAs in attendance, PTI reported quoting its sources.

Sharad Pawar had promised disciplinary action against Ajit during the press conference he held with Uddhav Thackeray and warned other NCP MLAs by reminding them of the anti-defection law.

NCP MLA meeting in Mumbai. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran) NCP MLA meeting in Mumbai. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

State NCP chief Jayant Patil will replace Ajit and will have all constitutional rights till the next legislature party leader is elected. Ajit was elected as the legislature party leader on October 30, following the results of Maharashtra assembly elections. ALSO READ | Stung by ‘Maha’ shocker, Sena moves SC against ‘BJP’s illegal usurpation of power

The resolution also stated that Ajit Pawar’s right to issue a whip has also been revoked. NCP authorized the party supremo Sharad Pawar and Jayant Patil to decide the party’s stand given the current circumstances.

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Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar maintained that it was his nephew’s personal choice to side with Fadnavis and not that of the party after Ajit gave the political tale in the state a twist. On Twitter, Senior Pawar wrote: “Ajit Pawar’s decision to support the BJP to form the Maharashtra Government is his personal decision and not that of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). We place on record that we do not support or endorse this decision of his.”

-with PTI inputs

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