Ajit Pawar was the main hero of a stunning overnight coup that briefly returned the BJP to power in Maharashtra last month -- and he could be back as deputy chief minister today.
This morning, Ajit Pawar met his uncle Sharad Pawar, president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), ahead of a cabinet expansion in which the former is likely to be sworn in as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's deputy.
As well, Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray -- Uddhav's son -- is likely to be sworn in as a minister. NCP leader Nawab Malik, too, is likely to be a minister.
A list of ten names given to Uddhav Thackeray by the Congress includes KC Padvi and Ashok Chavan. The ceremony is expected to begin at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai at 1 pm.
A coalition between the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress formed a government in Maharashtra after the BJP-led administration -- aided by Ajit Pawar -- fell apart before a Supreme Court-ordered floor test could determine its strength.
The "Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi" government was formed on November 28. It currently has six ministers, excluding Uddhav Thackeray.