Union Minister Ramdas Athawale met Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and said Pawar's support to the NDA will "further weaken" the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi. Athawale stated it was a courtesy visit. Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP on Sunday becoming the deputy CM in the Sena-BJP government. Eight other NCP MLAs were sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde cabinet.
