Ajit Pawar’s Next Avatar? Speculations Rife That He Will Be Uddhav Thackeray’s Deputy 

Speculations are rife in political circles that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s Ajit Pawar will be Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra once again .

Ajit Pawar is however unlikely to be sworn in today when Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will take charge as Chief Minister along with six ministers at Mumbai's Shivaji Park. He is likely to enter the cabinet after the alliance passes the floor test.

Along with Uddhav, Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan, NCP leaders Jayant Patil, Chagan Bhujbal, Shiv Sena’s Subhash Desai and Eknath Shinde will also take their oaths.

Ajit Pawar himself reiterated that he would not be among the ministers who will take oath today. "I will not take oath today. Only Chhagan Bhujbal and Jayant Patil will take oath as ministers from the NCP," Ajit Pawar told reporters after a meeting of NCP leaders at party chief Sharad Pawar's residence in Mumbai.

Just four days ago, Ajit Pawar tendered his resignation as Deputy Chief Minister of the BJP-led Devendra Fadnavis government, after he was unable to convince fellow NCP legislators to support him in his bid to form an alliance government with BJP.

As per power-sharing formula evolved by allies of the newly constituted Maha Vikas Aghadi, the Shiv Sena will get the post of the chief minister and 15 cabinet berths, the NCP will get the post of the deputy chief minister and 13 cabinet ranks while the Congress will get Speaker and 13 ministerial berths.