Ajit faction miffed with Fadnavis over posting letter on X

Mumbai: The Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP has expressed its displeasure over how the BJP has handled the Nawab Malik issue while publicly trying to claim that he has not yet been inducted in the party.

The Ajit camp is not particularly miffed with deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for writing a letter to Ajit raising objections over the induction of Malik into its faction but the fact that Fadnavis posted the letter on social media platform ‘X’. Fadnavis had opposed Malik’s inclusion as the latter was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged money laundering and being involved with underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

While Ajit himself has avoided commenting on the letter, NCP MLC Amol Mitkari criticised the letter being made public. “There was no reason for the letter to be made public. This could have been conveyed on the phone or in private,” said Mitkari.

However, BJP leader Pravin Darekar claimed that the letter had to be made public after the opposition questioned the BJP about its stand. “To clear the confusion among people after the opposition raised the issue, the letter had to be made public to show our stand on the issue,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, Ajit said, “I have read the letter… I don’t need to tell the media what I have to do about it,” he said. Even though Malik again sat in the ruling party benches, the NCP has tried to keep his induction ambiguous. “I will make my position clear after Nawab Malik makes his (meaning Malik has not himself expressed support to Ajit Pawar). The seating arrangement is not decided by us but by the Assembly Speaker,” claimed Ajit.