A new book seeks to end the mystery of why Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar took the oath last year, alongside former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, only to give that position up and go back to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in a couple of days to become part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
Written by journalist Sudhir Suryawanshi, who ran the extremely popular ‘Katta News’ Twitter handle through the government formation crisis with more than his share of scoops, Checkmate: How the BJP Won and Lost Maharashtra (Penguin RandomHouse) says Mr. Ajit Pawar fears over his career guided him to first revolt and then reconcile with his uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
Citing BJP sources, the book states that Mr. Sharad Pawar had been in talks with the BJP, as well as the Shiv Sena and the Congress, exploring two separate deals on government formation. According to Mr. Suryawanshi’s research, Mr Ajit Pawar decided to go with Mr. Fadnavis, even agreeing to a dawn swearing-in, because he anticipated that he would be short-changed by his uncle and NCP leader Jayant Patil would be given the post of Deputy Chief Minister in a MVA government.
Mr. Sharad Pawar was also aware of the developments just before the swearing-in and managed to salvage the support of a large number of NCP MLAs, leaving Mr. Ajit Pawar high and dry, without the requisite number.
The book details how each MLA was called up by Mr. Sharad Pawar and told that Mr. Ajit Pawar’s move did not have his backing. It also explores the hostility between Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule and her cousin, Mr Ajit Pawar, and the Pawar family dynamics.
Mr. Suryawanshi’s book also details what MLAs kept in resorts to prevent horse-trading do and their longing for home cooked food while living in a five star resort. The book may answer many of the unanswered questions of the 35 days that changed the State’s political history.
