Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday extended his support to NCP chief Sharad Pawar after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) experienced an internal division as senior leader Ajit Pawar joined the BJP-led Eknath Shinde Maharashtra government along with a group of MLAs.
According to the Tamil Nadu CM office, Stalin spoke to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and extended his support to him.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar took oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister with eight other party legislators.
The NCP has 53 MLAs and nine MLCs, of who nine MLAs including Ajit Pawar have joined the Eknath Shinde government.
The move by Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, which also saw eight other NCP MLAs joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, came amid efforts by opposition parties to forge unity to take on the BJP in the next year's Lok Sabha polls.
Sharad Pawar, a former Mahrashtra Chief Minister, has been a key leader in opposition unity efforts.