Some leaders, including Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, joined the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra on Sunday. This move reminded me of 1978. That too was a big political event just like today. Then Sharad Pawar raised the bugle of rebellion against the then Chief Minister Vasant Dada Patil’s government. Sharad Pawar rebelled against the Congress about 45 years ago and broke away with 40 MLAs. Due to this, the then Patil-led government had fallen.
Sharad Pawar was sitting as CM
Pawar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Progressive Democratic Front on 18 July 1978. Many opposition parties were involved in this. Senior journalist Prakash Joshi told that in 1978 the Legislature session was going on. The then Home Minister Nashik Rao Tirpude warned Chief Minister Patil about the threat to his government from Industries Minister Pawar.
Joshi recalled, ‘Vasantdada replied (to Tirpude) that Sharad had just met me. Later the same day, Vasantdada resigned from the post of Chief Minister.
circle turned on sunday
In a major dramatic development in Maharashtra politics, NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday created a split in the party. He became the Deputy Chief Minister in the state government. The move surprised his uncle Sharad Pawar. He founded the party 24 years ago. Eight leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also took oath as ministers at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai.