Maharashtra government: I am in NCP, will remain in party, says Ajit Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, who last week supported the BJP to form a short-lived government in Maharashtra, on Wednesday said he continues to be in his party and that there is no reason "to create" confusion about it.

"I have nothing to say (right now), I will speak at the right time. I had said earlier also, I am in the NCP and I will remain in the NCP. There is no reason to create confusion," Ajit Pawar told reporters in Mumbai.

On his late Tuesday night visit to Silver Oak, his uncle and NCP president Sharad Pawar's residence, Ajit Pawar said, "It is my right to meet my leader."

The NCP legislator, who won the October 21 state polls from Pune's Baramati seat with a margin of 1.65 lakh votes, shocked his party and family last Saturday after he joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and became deputy chief minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.

The NCP subsequently sacked him as its legislature unit leader the same day. However, he continues to be a member of the party.

Ajit Pawar on Tuesday resigned as deputy CM citing "personal reasons", following which Fadnavis too stepped down as chief minister, leading to collapse of the BJP-led government.