Ajit a popular leader, will get opportunity to become CM: Praful Patel

The Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel on Thursday said Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is a popular and heavyweight leader and he will get an opportunity to become the Chief Minister. Asked about such speculation, Praful Patel, who supports Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, told media persons in Nagpur, “…the post of CM is not vacant, so why talk about it?
Ajit Pawar is a popular and heavyweight leader. He has been leading our party for several years now. Those who work get the opportunity either today, tomorrow or the day after. Many have got the opportunity. Ajit Dada will also get it, if not today, tomorrow or anytime in future. We will work in that direction,” he said. Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan recently claimed that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar would be appointed as the state’s Chief Minister, replacing Eknath Shinde on 10 August.
Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis—who also serves as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister alongside the recently-appointed Ajit Pawar—on Monday dismissed Chavan’s claim, saying Shinde will continue to be the Chief Minister and there will be no change of guard in the state. Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government on 2 July. While Pawar took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister, the MLAs were sworn in as Ministers. Later, the crucial finance department was allotted to Ajit Pawar, the nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar. CM Shinde had earlier said that Ajit’s entry into the government “posed no threat” to him. Asked about the possibility of him being inducted into the council of ministers at the Centre, Patel there is no discussion on the Union cabinet reshuffle or expansion. “I don’t think it will happen,” he said. To another question, he said, “My constituency will always be Bhandara-Gondia.” Patel had earlier represented Maharashtra’s Bhandara-Gondia constituency in the Lok Sabha.