On Ajit Pawar's CM ambition, Sanjay Raut says, 'My best wishes'

Amid an undercurrent of a tiff between the Nationalist Congress Party and the Uddhav Sena, Sanjay Raut on Saturday reacted to Ajit Pawar's chief ministerial ambition and said Ajit Pawar is capable of becoming the chief minister of Maharashtra as he has been in Maharashtra politics for many years now. "Who would not like to be chief minister? And Ajit Pawar is capable of becoming chief minister. He has been in politics for so many years now and has been minister several times. He holds a record for having served as deputy CM for the most number of times. Everyone thinks one should become CM," Sanjay Raut said.

"He (Ajit) has not expressed this desire for the first time. So my best wishes to him," Raut said.

Speculations of Ajit Pawar extending support to the BJP-Shinde Sena were rife last week but NCP supremo Sharad Pawar took control of the situation and Ajit Pawar too confirmed that he will only work for the NCP as long as he lives.

In 2019, Ajit Pawar supported the BJP and was sworn-in as the deputy chief minister with Devendra Fadnavis being the chief minister, before the Congress, NCP and then-Shiv Sena came together to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi to rule the state. In the MVA government too, Ajit Pawar was the deputy CM.

On Friday, Ajit Pawar said NCP does not need to wait for the nexy year's election to stake claim to the chief minister's post; it is ready at any time. "In the year 2004, NCP had more seats than Congress and the post of chief minister was all set to go to the NCP but the party got the deputy chief minister post," Ajit Pawar said.

Ajit Pawar versus Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut dropped the first hint of an unease going in the Pawar famnily as he wrote in his last week's column that Sharad Pawar told him that there was pressure on some individuals to break rank. Ajit Pawar condemned Sanjay Raut's provocation and asked whether Sanjay Raut is the spokesperson of the NCP. To this, Sanjay Raut said he only listens to Sharad Pawar. "Ajit dada should say whether attempts are being made to break the opposition (parties). Did they not break Shiv Sena? Are attempts not being made to break the NCP? Sharad Pawar saheb is himself saying this. Sharad Pawar has written a letter regarding this to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah," Raut said.