Maharashtra Political Crisis: Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee Dial Sharad Pawar After Ajit's Big Switch

After Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Ajit Pawar took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, effectively causing a split in the party, opposition leaders hit back at the BJP, accusing it of indulging in "washing machine politics".

The splits in the Shiv Sena and NCP comes amid efforts to unify the Opposition ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Assembly elections in Maharashtra are scheduled to take place in the second half of next year.

Opposition backs Sharad Pawar

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee were among the opposition leaders who dialled Sharad Pawar and offered support to him.

Congress general secretary in charge of organisation K C Venugopal said, “The BJP’s dirty tricks department is working on overdrive in Maharashtra. This is not a legitimately elected government, but an ED-facilitated power grab. The Maharashtra government is a product of corruption and sin. The people have very well identified the traitors, corrupt and compromised leaders of Maharashtra and each of them will be taught the lessons of their lifetime in the next elections.”

Opposition leaders spoke about the BJP’s “washing machine politics”. Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh said, “Clearly the BJP’s Washing Machine has resumed its operations. A number of new entrants into the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra today had been facing serious corruption charges with ED, CBI and Income Tax authorities after them. Now they have all got a clean chit."

He further said that the Congress will intensify its efforts to "free Maharashtra from the clutches of the BJP.”

Admitting the NCP split was a setback, JD (U) leader K C Tyagi said, “But at the same time, what example of good governance is the ruling party trying to set by making Ajit Pawar the Deputy Chief Minister against whom it had instituted a probe. It had also called the NCP ‘Naturally Corrupt Party’ throughout the elections. So conduct raids first, send Income Tax, ED, CBI later and then induct them into your alliance. So instead of elections, you want to attain a majority through manoeuvring,” he said.

Tyagi also alleged that the MLAs of NCP, who have sided with Ajit Pawar, were "intimidated through misuse of central investigating agencies", but insisted the development in the western state will have no impact nationally. 

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said BJP has performed similar "experiments" in Madhya Pradesh too. 

“Madhya Pradesh was the first laboratory for the BJP… Maharashtra has become an even bigger laboratory for the BJP. You will see what all experiments the BJP will do as we approach the Lok Sabha elections because it does not want to lose power. It wants to cling on to power even if the poor, farmers, deprived, exploited, backward, Bahujan don’t find a place anywhere but they want a place in power,” he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal too extended support to Sharad Pawar. Attacking the prime minister regarding corruption, he said, "Till yesterday those whom they used to call corrupt, used to raid CBI/ED on them, today have included them in your government? Aren't you ashamed Prime Minister? So when the Prime Minister says - I will not spare a single corrupt person, he means - I will include everyone in my party."

BJP targets opposition unity

The BJP on the other hand, took a swipe at efforts by.opposition parties to forge unity ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.  "PDA - Poora (completely) Disturbed Alliance?" BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted on Sunday. 

"Those who cannot keep their parties and leaders united are trying to forge opposition unity "from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka to Bihar", Poonawalla charged and added, "Gehlot, Pilot, DKS, Siddaramaiah, Manjhi...first unite them!" he said.

After taking oath, Ajit Pawar said his party decided to join the Eknath Shinde-led government in the interest of the state and the country, and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.