Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar’s claims that a meeting had been held in Delhi in 2019, which was attended by Gautam Adani, Union home minister Amit Shah, Sharad Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis, Praful Patel and Ajit himself indicating industrialist Adani’s role in collapse of Uddhav Thackeray’s government collapse later.
In an interview to The News Minute-Newslaundry was published on Tuesday.he said Adani had sat through a series of such meetings in 2019, trying to forge alliances that would support a BJP-led government in Maharashtra.
This took place when, in a controversial early morning swearing-in ceremony, Ajit Pawar had been sworn in as deputy chief minister and Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister. The government lasted 80 hours, with Ajit returning to the then undivided NCP led by Sharad Pawar. In the interview, Ajit said that Sharad Pawar had given his consent to attend these talks but he (Ajit) was later blamed for teaming up with the BJP.
Ajit Pawar’s revelation has led the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to question whether Adani was also instrumental in the collapse of the MVA government in 2022?
However, on Wednesday, Ajit Pawar did a U-turn when quizzed by the media, saying “Adani was not there.” The ruling BJP and Shiv Sena were surprisingly silent on Ajit Pawar’s statements. There was also no reaction from the Adani Group.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said: “Who gave the money to pull down our government? Who was behind giving 50 khoke (a reference to allegations that Rs 50 crore was given to each rebel Sena MLA)? After Ajit Pawar’s disclosure, people should have got an idea,” said Thackeray, at a campaign rally at Sawantwadi in Sindhudurg district. “There is an attempt to grab Mumbai, we won’t let that happen,” he said.
While Sharad Pawar was silent on the issue, his daughter and NCP (SP) working president, Supriya Sule, categorically denied any knowledge of the meeting.
Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), questioned Adani’s involvement. “What was Gautam Adani’s locus standi? …I reiterate, the MVA govt was destabilised only for Adani, so that he could get Dharavi and other projects he wanted. This is why we say, this is not Maharashtra sarkar but Adani sarkar. Now, the truth is there for everyone to see,”
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi called the revelations “proof” of BJP’s reliance on Adani.Is he a BJP-authorised negotiator? Why is a businessman so closely involved in political deals in Maharashtra? she asked.