Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday targeted the BJP over the political developments in Maharashtra, saying the party wants to "eliminate" the Opposition on the basis of money power and central agencies.
In a surprising move, Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, while eight legislators of his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier in the day.
"The political developments that have taken place in Maharashtra today show that the BJP wants to eliminate the opposition parties on the basis of money power and central agencies. It is highly condemnable," Gehlot said in a tweet.
He further said, "All the leaders, including Ajit Pawar, whom the BJP used to accuse of corruption till yesterday, were inducted in the cabinet. The BJP has been nervous ever since the opposition parties started coming together, due to which it is breaking regional parties by putting pressure from central agencies."
"No matter how much the BJP tries, the public has decided that it will give a befitting reply when the time comes to thwart these attempts to kill democracy," the senior Congress leader said.
Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais administered the oath of office to Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister while eight other NCP leaders took oath as ministers at a function held at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.
-With PTI Input
