'NCP MLAs taking oath in Shinde govt has no official support of party'
Elections to the 288-member state Assembly are due next year.
NCP leader Anil Patil takes oath as Maharashtra Minister (ANI)
MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase on Sunday said the oath taken by nine NCP MLAs as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government does not have official support of the party.
Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister while eight MLAs of the party took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (NCP).
Read: Ajit Pawar becomes new Dy CM: Maha sees 4 oath-taking ceremonies since 2019
In a video message, Tapase said NCP's party workers, district president, taluka president, youth and women are with party's national leader Sharad Pawar.
"The oath-taking ceremony in Maharashtra was part of Operation Lotus and it has no official support of NCP. Those who took oath, it is their personal decision and not that of the NCP," he said.
Elections to the 288-member state Assembly are due next year.
The political development comes a year after a revolt led by Shinde against the Shiv Sena (then undivided) led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
On June 30, 2022, Shinde was sworn in as the CM with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as the deputy CM.
Also Read: Maha political developments: Sharad Pawar undeterred, claims Raut
