‘Double-engine now a triple-engine govt’: Eknath Shinde welcomes Ajit Pawar to NDA

Responding to reporters, the Maharashtra chief minister welcomes Ajit Pawar and his leaders to the government ‘for the development’ of the state

The 'double-engine' government, which was being run under the leadership of Prime Minster Narendra Modi, has received a ‘triple-engine’ government, Maharashtra chief minster Eknath Shinde said after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar sworn in as the new deputy chief minister of the state.

Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais congratulates the newly sworn-in Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, during a ceremony at Raj Bhavan, in Mumbai, Sunday, July 2, 2023. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are also seen. (PTI)

After coming out of Raj Bhavan in Mumbai, following the swearing-in ceremony, the Maharashtra CM said he welcomes Ajit Pawar and his leaders for the development of the state. He also added that the NCP leader's experience will help strengthen the state.

On seat sharing in the Maharashtra cabinet, CM Shinde said there is enough time to decide on that. He further said that the opposition managed to secure ‘four or five seats' in the Lok Sabha from the state, ‘this time they will not manage to get even those number of seats’.

In a sudden development about which there was absolute silence in Maharashtra political circle until Sunday morning, Pawar sworn in as dy CM of Maharashtra – third time in the current state assembly – in the middle of ‘Ajit dada, hum tumhare saath hai’ slogans by his supporters.

Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, some NCP MLAs said they were ‘upset’ with party chief Sharad Pawar's ‘unilateral’ decision to share stage and ally with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition unity meeting in Patna last month, according to news agency ANI.