Sharad Pawar, the veteran politician from Maharashtra, has encountered yet another setback as a prominent MLA, Kiran Lahamate from Akola, has switched allegiance from his faction to join Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Lahamate was initially seen with Ajit Pawar during the oath-taking ceremony on July 2, 2023, but later returned to Sharad Pawar’s camp. However, he has now made a U-turn and officially joined Ajit Pawar’s group on July 8, 2023. During the transition, Lahamate also signed newly drafted documents to solidify his association with Ajit Pawar.
Ajit Pawar entrusted the responsibility of bringing Lahamate back into his camp to his trusted aide, Balasaheb Jagtap. Jagtap dedicated three days to camp in Akola and successfully persuaded Lahamate to join Ajit Pawar’s fold. Additionally, Ashutosh Kale, the MLA from Kopargaon, has sent an affidavit of support to Ajit Pawar, further strengthening his faction. As a result, Ajit Pawar’s group is gradually gaining momentum.
During Ajit Pawar’s oath-taking ceremony, Dr Lahamate stood by his side and also affixed his signature to several previously prepared documents. However, the following day, Lahamate returned to Sharad Pawar’s camp, attending a meeting in Mumbai and claiming that he was tricked into signing the documents.
Jagtap, acting on behalf of Ajit Pawar, made numerous attempts to convince Lahamate to join their camp but was unsuccessful. Instead of staying at home, Lahamate moved to an undisclosed location. Finally, on Saturday night, Lahamate returned home and was subsequently brought to Mumbai, where he met with Ajit Pawar. They discussed the development work that should be prioritised in Akola, and during this meeting, additional documents were prepared, with Lahamate providing his signature. It is now being asserted that Lahmate is legally bound to Ajit Pawar.
Meanwhile, Ashutosh Kale, the MLA from Kopargaon, is currently in the US with his family. It is reported that he has also pledged his support to Ajit Pawar through an affidavit. He is expected to return within a day or two and will elaborate on his position during his meeting with Ajit Pawar. Barring Rohit Pawar and Prajakt Tanpure, four other NCP MLAs have reportedly aligned themselves with Ajit Pawar.
In addition to MLAs, other office bearers and prominent leaders have been meeting Ajit Pawar. Former MLAs Arun Jagtap, Chandrashekhar Ghule, Sitaram Gaikar, and others have reportedly shown their support to Ajit Pawar. However, NCP district president Rajendra Phalke remains aligned with Sharad Pawar.
Notably, on July 2, in a surprising political manoeuvre, Ajit Pawar and eight other prominent leaders, including Chhagan Bhujbal, joined the Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde. Ajit Pawar was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister, while the others were sworn in as ministers in a ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan.
