Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said he was not behind Ajit Pawar’s decision to align with the BJP and become the deputy chief minister and asserted that his party along with Congress and Shiv Sena will form the next government in Maharashtra.

Addressing reporters in Karad town of neighbouring Satara district, the NCP chief reiterated that the decision of aligning with the BJP was that of his nephew Ajit Pawar and not of the NCP.

“It is not the party’s decision and we do not endorse it,” the former Union minister said.

“It is wrong to say that I have a hand behind Ajit Pawar’s revolt,” he added. Asked whether the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena will form government in the state, he said,

“There is not an iota of doubt that the government (of the combine) will be formed in Maharashtra.”

He also said that he has no contact with his nephew, who rebelled against the NCP. On whether Ajit Pawar will be expelled from the NCP, he said the decision will be taken at the party-level.

In a dramatic turn of events, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were sworn in as chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at 8 am on Saturday at a hush hush ceremony in Raj Bhavan here, leading to the lifting of the President’s rule.