"Internal matter of NCP": BJP's Zafar Islam on speculations of Sunetra Pawar to take oath as Maharashtra Dy CM

New Delhi [India], January 31 (ANI): Amid speculations that Sunetra Pawar will be sworn in as Maharashtra's deputy chief minister, just days following the demise of her husband Ajit Pawar, BJP National Spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam said on Saturday that his party will back the Nationalist Congress Party, an important ally of the ruling NDA in Maharashtra, while staying out of the NCP's internal decision-making.
The Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 witnessed a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, securing a landslide win with 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats.
The Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, part of the Mahayuti alliance, also made notable gains, with 57 and 41 seats, respectively.
",As far as Sunetra Pawar is concerned... Whatever decision is made will be an internal matter for their party, but we stand with them, as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said. The entire BJP stands with them," Islam told ANI.
BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi also shared similar sentiments.
"... A very unfortunate incident happened. Late Ajit Pawar is no longer with us, but I am not in a position to comment on who will become the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra; this is an internal matter of the NCP... BJP is an ally of NCP. The right and appropriate decision will be taken," Sarangi said.
NCP Maharashtra State President Sunil Tatkare today refused to comment on NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar's remarks stating that he had no information about NCP MP and Ajit Pawar's widow Sunetra Pawar being pitched for the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
Addressing reporters, Tatkare said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will make the final decision on the Deputy Chief Minister post, which fell vacant after Ajit Pawar's demise.
He said, "I don't have anything to say on this matter right now. We have a meeting, and after the meeting, we will discuss all these issues."
"We have a meeting this afternoon. After the meeting, we will meet with the Chief Minister. After the meeting with the Chief Minister, we will present our views to him, and then the Chief Minister will make a decision on it. We will discuss all these things later," the NCP leader added.
NCP is scheduled to hold a meeting this afternoon, after which the party will submit the name for the Deputy CM post.
Sharad Pawar said he has no information about NCP MP Sunetra Pawar's name being proposed for the post of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister.
He said, "I have no information about it (Sunetra Pawar's name for the Deputy CM post). Her party must have decided. What I saw in the newspaper today: some names like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatakare who have taken the initiative to make some decisions."
Ajit Pawar, 66, died in a plane crash along with four others on Wednesday. (ANI)