Photo: Getty Images
The exit of Ajit Pawar from the Maharashtra government today appeared certain with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar saying the issue of the Deputy Chief Minister's resignation is over for the party.
At the same time, the NCP chief said the offer of resignation of 19 other Ministers of the party in the state has not been accepted. He saw no threat to the stability of the Maharashtra coalition in which his party has been a major partner for the past 13 years. Maintaining that the decision to resign as Deputy Chief Minister was taken by Ajit himself , Sharad Pawar told PTI that after the party leadership gave Ajit "permission" to step down after due consideration, he handed over the resignation letter to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
"After that, the issue of the resignation is over for the NCP," he said, noting that Ajit had wanted to put in his papers so that there should not be any doubt about he pressurising anybody on the white paper on irrigation projects, an idea floated by the Chief Minister. Ajit Pawar resigned two days back in the wake of his alleged involvement in irrigation scam of Rs 20,000 crores during his ten year tenure as Water
Resources Minister between 1999 to 2009. Nineteen other party Ministers also offered to quit in solidarity. The NCP chief said that he would be reaching Mumbai tomorrow evening and persuade the party MLAs who have been pressing Ajit to take back his decision. Pawar is leaving for Kolhapur today to attend the funeral of former Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar, who died yesterday. He would be later going to Belgaum and then fly to Mumbai.
Asked whether the issue figured at the UPA Coordination Committee meeting, Pawar wondered how could it be possible as it was an internal issue of NCP.
from
IBNLive
Country facing a political paralysis: Modi
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lashed out at the UPA government, saying the country is now facing a political paralysis. "I was watching UPA report card.
from IANS
'Buy back and delist Neyveli Lignite'
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Thursday suggested to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the central government can buy back the shares held by public and go for delisting.
from IANS
PM, two others vie for two RS seats
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and two others are in the contest for two Rajya Sabha seats from Assam, officials said here Thursday. The poll is slated for May 30.
from
IANS
President in Shimla for three-day visit
President Pranab Mukherjee was accorded a ceremonial reception by Governor Urmila Singh and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
from
IANS
BJP demands FIR against Sheila Dikshit
The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday demanded that a first information report (FIR) be filed against Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit for allegedly misusing government funds for "political purpose".
from
PTI
Australia: Allowed to wear turban at work?
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Thursday promised to look into allowing Sikhs to wear turbans at work places and also while riding a motorcycle.
from
PTI
Sonia Gandhi is soft, I am not: Rahul
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi asked party leaders in Delhi to work unitedly to ensure a fourth successive victory for the party in the polls and sent out a clear message that indiscipline will not be tolerated by him.
