The BJP's move to bring in Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs into the Maharashtra government comes at a time the party is holding a series a meetings to strengthen its organisation and narrative.
For the first time in 51 years, the number of MLAs supporting the Maharashtra government has reached around 200. This exceeds the last instance in 1972 when all 222 legislators were from the Congress party. The exact number of MLAs supporting Ajit Pawar, the newly appointed deputy chief minister, is unknown, but it is speculated that 36 MLAs are backing him.