Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators on Wednesday moved a resolution requesting Ajit Pawar to withdraw his resignation as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister.

Pawar had resigned on Tuesday over allegations of corruption in the Rs 70,000-crore irrigation scam deal.

About 60 MLAs, 10 MLCs of the NCP and 12 independent MLAs met at the Legislative Assembly and moved the resolution.

Pawar’s resignation has created major shockwaves in Maharashtra’s polity. Keeping in sync with Pawar, all the other 19 NCP ministers have offered their resignation to Maharashtra’s Chief Minsiter Prithviraj Chavan. Pawar is the nephew of Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar and a senior leader in the party.

President of the State unit of the party, Madhukar Pichad told media persons that the sentiments of legislators would be conveyed to the party supremo Sharad Pawar. The final decision would rest with him. No other matter was discussed as party members are mourning the deaths of senior leaders Babasabeh Kupekar and Mahadu Varora. Kupekar, who passed away on Wednesday morning, was NCP’s sitting MLA from Kolhapur district, while Varora was ex-MLA from the Thane district.

Chief Spokesperson of NCP Nawab Malik said that party men have sought time with Sharad Pawar and the next meeting is likely to be held on Friday. Malik said that some of the allegations made by a former engineer of the irrigation department against Ajit Pawar are not true. The Irrigation Department had carried out a detail inquiry into the matter. The engineer who had made the claims was found to be mentally unstable, he said.

rahul.wadke@thehindu.co.in

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