To recap, in November 2019, Ajit Pawar made his first attempt to “split” the NCP by departing with a handful of MLAs to form a government with the BJP. Ajit was sworn in as deputy chief minister for 80 hours, after which the majority of MLAs returned to the NCP, and the alliance collapsed. He finally split the party in July 2023.

Ajit Pawar's claim on the presence of industrialist Gautam Adani at a meeting of BJP and NCP leaders was accompanied by his remarks that his abrupt 2019 switch had Sharad Pawar's backing.

Sharad Pawar’s lawyers argued Ajit, who broke away from the parent party & joined the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra last year, was piggybacking on the veteran leader’s goodwill.

Following a rift between the Sharad Pawar and the Ajit Pawar factions of the NCP, the Election Commission of India recognised the Ajit Pawar's party as the real NCP based on its legislative majority and allotted the 'clock' symbol to it.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has revealed that industrialist Gautam Adani was part of a crucial meeting between the BJP and the undivided NCP five years back. Ajit was referring to the developments that allegedly took place before the early morning ceremony when BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister

Ajit Pawar disclosed his involvement in political discussions with the BJP five years prior, stating that prominent figures like Amit Shah, Gautam Adani, and Sharad Pawar were present. He emphasized that decisions were made collectively,