Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra deputy chief minister and finance minister Ajit Pawar on Monday presented the first full Budget of the Mahayuti 2.0 government. He said that the New Industrial Policy in the state is expected to attract Rs 20 lakh crore in investments and create 50 lakh jobs. Here are the key takeaways from his speech.

Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister for the third time, alongside Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar as deputy chief ministers, highlighting the strength of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. Shortly after taking office, Fadnavis approved Rs 5 lakh in aid from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for a Pune resident needing a bone marrow transplant. He urged officials to expedite processes, address public expectations with urgency, and focus on sustainable development. The grand swearing-in ceremony at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan was attended by national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh, symbolising strong political backing.

Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Maharashtra’s 18th Chief Minister for a third term, alongside Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde and NCP's Ajit Pawar as deputy chief ministers, in a grand ceremony at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. Attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bollywood stars, industrialists, and 40,000 supporters, the event showcased BJP's resurgence. Special arrangements included 4,000 security personnel and traffic management. Fadnavis’ return is a significant boost for the BJP, following setbacks in Lok Sabha elections, and marks a unified front within the NDA after intense negotiations over power-sharing within the Mahayuti alliance.

Election roundup: Catch up on today's top political news with Moneycontrol's Election Wrap. Pema Khandu takes oath for the third term as Arunachal Pradesh CM, while a Bengaluru court issues a non-bailable warrant against former CM BS Yediyurappa. Also, find out about the wealth status of MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's wife filing papers for Rajya Sabha elections. Plus, an RSS opinion piece critiques the BJP-Shiv Sena government's alliance with Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

On May 28, Sonia Doohan, a close aide of Sharad Pawar and former Student Union President of the NCP, announced her resignation from the party. Known for thwarting Ajit Pawar’s 2019 mutiny, Doohan cited issues with Supriya Sule as the reason for her departure. In an exclusive interview with ANI, she clarified her stance and expressed her ongoing loyalty to Sharad Pawar. Watch the full statement here.

Ajit Pawar has brushed off rumours and reports that he’s about to join the BJP with a bunch of NCP MLAs, saying that the meeting he held with 40 NCP MLAs was ‘routine’. However, these events have put the spotlight back on the times when Ajit Pawar has appeared to back the BJP. Watch!

The Chief Minister also gave his approval to ACB's proposal to conduct an open inquiry into allegations of corruption and favouritism against former Public Works Department Minister Chhagan Bhujbal in construction of Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi and two other government buildings in Mumbai built under Private Public Partnership.

In the season of scams, Union Minister Sharad Pawar and his close relatives were today dragged into a corruption scandal by a former IPS officer-turned-lawyer for benefitting a private developer by allegedly bestowing undue favours for the controversial Lavasa hill city project.

Close on the heels of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar quitting his post, all NCP ministers in the Maharashtra government have submitted their resignations to party's state unit chief Madhukar Pichad.