From confusion to caution, mood among political workers in Pune sees varied changes throughout day

After overnight political drama, reactions from leaders and workers of political parties in the city ranged from shock and confusion to caution.

After overnight political drama, reactions from leaders and workers of political parties in the city ranged from shock and confusion to caution.

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While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers celebrated in the morning, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-Congress and Shiv Sena leaders in the city said that they were as confused about the developments as the common man and were awaiting orders from their seniors.

At the BJP’s office on Jungli Maharaj road, workers celebrated the new government formation in the morning. However by afternoon, mood among BJP workers changed as most NCP MLAs loyal to Ajit Pawar were seen present at the NCP party meeting called by Sharad Pawar. The BJP workers became cautious while reacting to the developments later in the day.

As the news of BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis taking oath as the new chief minister and NCP’s Ajit Pawar becoming the deputy CM spread, NCP MLAs Chetan Tupe and Sunil Tingre rushed to Mumbai for the NCP party meet.

Ramesh Bagwe, spokesperson of the Congress, said, “We are equally confused and surprised by this. We have no clue what happened.”

Dilip Barate, leader of opposition, NCP, said, “I got the news from.the media, just like others. We are low-level party workers and these decisions are taken at the senior level. Right now our stand is to wait and watch. Till late night, we were sure of the NCP-Congress-Sena government formation and Saturday early morning, we received this news. Even Sharad Pawar was not aware of it, so right now, nothing is fixed.”

Sena leader Sanjay More said, “We are surprised and taken aback. This is surely a shock and right now nothing can be said. Currently, we’ll only wait and watch.”

Many loyalists of Ajit Pawar mostly in Pimpri-Chinchwad area refused to comment and decided not to react until the picture is clear.