Amid speculation of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and rebel Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar being reportedly ‘upset’ with the tripartite Eknath Shinde-led government, senior NCP leader (Ajit Pawar faction) Praful Patel on Sunday clarified that Mr. Ajit had been diagnosed with dengue and was taking rest.
Mr. Patel, a key leader of the rebel NCP faction which joined the Shinde government on July 2, said in a post on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter), “Contrary to speculative media reports suggesting that Ajit Pawar is not attending public events, I would like to clarify that he has been diagnosed with dengue since yesterday and has been advised medical guidance and rest for the next few days. Mr. Ajit remains committed to his public service responsibilities. Once he has fully recovered, he will be back in full force to continue his dedicated public duties.”
Earlier this week, Mr. Ajit was present throughout Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Shirdi in Ahmednagar district. However, his absence from Cabinet meetings again sparked rumours of friction with his allies – the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.
Again, when Mr. Shinde and BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis went to Delhi to confer with Mr. Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Mr. Ajit claimed he did not know about the meeting. Responding to mediapersons’ questions, he had quipped, “They [Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis] did not ask me”.
Ever since he split the NCP led by his uncle Sharad Pawar to join the ruling government, there has been much sabre-rattling and squabbling among the three allies over plum portfolios and guardian ministerial appointments, which has only been exacerbated by Mr. Ajit’s mercurial persona.
There is seething resentment within the Shinde camp and sections of the BJP against Mr. Ajit’s NCP faction, especially as Mr. Ajit was first given the crucial Finance portfolio and later ceded the guardian ministership of Pune – a post that was wrenched from the control of BJP leader and erstwhile Pune Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil in a move aimed at seemingly pacifying a restive Mr. Ajit.
