Maha governor accepts Ajit Pawar’s resignation

[1]

Maharashtra governor K. Sankaranarayanan on Saturday accepted the resignation of Ajit Pawar as the state's deputy chief minister.

The latest development in this regard came after Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan accepted his deputy's resignation and forwarded it to governor Sankaranarayanan.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar had earlier on Friday asked Chavan to accept Ajit Pawar's resignation and directing 19 other ministers to resume office.

"I will ask Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan to accept Ajit Pawar's resignation as deputy chief minister," Pawar told mediapersons after a meeting of NCP legislature party here yesterday.

"Ajit Pawar is sticking to his decision to resign. The MLAs want Ajit Pawar to reconsider the decision to resign. The NCP supports the chief minister's move to submit a White Paper on the irrigation scam. White Paper on irrigation scam should be tabled at the earliest," he added.

The NCP chief, however, said that the resignations of other party ministers would not be accepted.

"We will not accept the resignation of other ministers," he said.

Sharad Pawar further ruled out any difference of opinion between him and his nephew Ajit Pawar.

"There are no differences between me and Ajit Pawar," he said.

Ajit Pawar had quit his post on Tuesday following media reports about his involvement in alleged irregularities in the irrigation department when he held the irrigation portfolio between 1999-2009.

He had also resigned as minister for finance and planning and power but would continue to remain leader of the NCP legislature party.

All other 19 NCP ministers followed suit as a mark of solidarity with Ajit Pawar.

The Maharashtra chief minister had earlier said that he would take a decision on Ajit Pawar's resignation only after speaking to senior leaders of both the Congress and NCP..