By Quaid Najmi

Mumbai, Apr 17 (IANS): Intense speculation has gripped Maharashtra politics as to whether Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar may trigger another political earthquake by joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party - akin to the 80-hour long regime of November 2019.

Since the past few days, leaders across the spectrum have been issuing varied or even contradictory statements on the 'restless' Ajit Pawar's probable step - doing an 'Eknath Shinde type' operation on the NCP.

A bemused Ajit Pawar - the nephew of NCP President Sharad Pawar - dismissed all the rumours of his switching sides or joining the BJP, and even rubbished contentions that he had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The four-time ex-Deputy CM reiterated that he is very much part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and they are working strongly as a united force.

The latest round of speculative reports has been fuelled by a potential adverse situation developing for the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance after the Supreme Court takes its decision on the disqualification of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and 15 other MLAs.

Well-wishers have been claiming that the BJP may rope in Ajit Pawar to save the government and may even offer him the plum post of Chief Minister - something that he is believed to secretly covet.

Scoffing at the rumour-mongering and attempts to 'defame' him, Pawar on Sunday took pains to explain his position and the current political arithmetics in the power game.

He pointed out that the BJP+Independents account for 115 MLAs, so even if Shinde group's 16 MLAs are disqualified, the current government is left with 149 MLAs.

After the disqualification of 16 MLAs, the 288-member Assembly strength will go down to 272, and hence the ruling alliance will have a simple majority, he said.

State Congress President Nana Patole said, "I have full faith that Ajit Pawar will not make any such move... He will remain with MVA."

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that when he and party President Uddhav Thackeray met Sharad Pawar last week, the latter made it clear that the NCP will not decide to go with the BJP.

Nevertheless, Sharad Pawar said many of their families are being targeted, so it would be up to the individuals to chart their own course. But he had assured that the NCP will not ally with the BJP.

Raut reiterated that the central agencies are being let loose to pressurise and break the NCP, but expressed confidence that "Ajit Pawar will refrain from taking such a step".

NCP leaders have also rejected all such contentions, saying that the BJP is playing 'mind-games' given Ajit Pawar's temperamental nature, but he will not succumb to it.

Supriya Sule, when asked about this, sidestepped the issue and said that "only Ajit Pawar can give the answer".

Sena (UBT) ally and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar jumped into the cauldron by claiming that there will be "some political explosions" in Maharashtra and India within the next two weeks or so, but preferred to keep it a mystery.

However, there are mixed reactions in the ruling Shiv Sena with a section of MLAs saying that Ajit Pawar will be welcome, while another group has warned that they would quit if he joins the party.

Most BJP leaders claimed that they have no knowledge about the goings-on, while state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule dropped a broad hint saying "if the BJP ideology is acceptable to him, then he (Ajit Pawar) is welcome in our party".

Meanwhile, stoking the fires and compounding the confusion, at least two NCP MLAs have come out openly to declare that they will go "wherever Ajit Pawar goes".