Maharashtra-like situation may arise in UP, Bihar: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale

New Delhi [India], July 3 (ANI): Amid the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said that a similar situation can also arise in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, adding that some MLAs of Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) and Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party are upset with their respective party leaders.

Speaking to ANI, Athawale said, “A similar situation (like currently in Maharashtra) can arise in Bihar soon as some JD(U) MLAs are upset with Nitish Kumar.”
“In Uttar Pradesh, Jayant Chaudhary can join with NDA as he is currently upset with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav. There is a possibility that differences arise between MLAs of SP,” Athawale said.

Athawale’s remark comes a day after NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance and took oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday in a surprise and dramatic political move that changed political equations in the state ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly polls next year and has ramifications for national politics.

The move by Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar, which also saw eight other NCP MLAs joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, came amid efforts by opposition parties to forge unity to take on the BJP in the next year’s Lok Sabha polls. Sharad Pawar, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister, has been a key leader in opposition unity efforts.

State Governor Ramesh Bais administered the oath to Ajit Pawar and other ministers – Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Dharmarao Baba Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Patil.