The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar, underwent a significant rift within the party when senior leader Ajit Pawar, along with eight other prominent leaders, joined the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government on Sunday. Ajit Pawar took the oath as the Deputy Chief Minister, while the other eight leaders, including NCP Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Dhananjay Munde, and Dharambaba Atram, also assumed ministerial roles in the Maharashtra Government.

The remaining individuals who took the oath of office are Aditi Tatkare, Hasan Mushrif, Anil Patil, and Sanjay Bansode. Ajit Pawar's discontent within the NCP was no secret, as he had previously joined forces with Fadnavis in 2019 to form a government, only to retract his decision within a couple of days.

Since the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the state has witnessed unexpected political turmoils. Initially, the Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray, broke away from the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena alliance. However, before Thackeray could make any moves, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar swiftly took oath as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively. Thackeray, who had parted ways with the BJP, formed a new government with the support of the NCP and Congress, ultimately assuming the position of Chief Minister.

Later, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, along with 40 legislators, voiced their opposition to Thackeray's leadership and rebelled against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, bringing it to a minority. Subsequently, Eknath Shinde and the BJP joined forces, forming a government with Devendra Fadnavis as the Deputy Chief Minister.

With expectations of inclusion in the ministry from numerous BJP and Shiv Sena legislators, political activities suddenly intensified on Sunday when Ajit Pawar, along with eight others, took the oath of office in the afternoon. The NCP's internal division was laid bare as prominent party leaders joined Ajit Pawar, marking a significant turning point in the party's dynamics.