India, Dec. 23 -- A day after stating that the leaders of the Mahayuti parties have agreed not to poach candidates or office-bearers from within the alliance, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Monday inducted Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Pimpri-Chinchwad and former corporator Sandeep Waghare into the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The move is being seen in political circles as a tit-for-tat response within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Waghare was formally welcomed into the NCP by Ajit Pawar in the presence of party election in-charge Nana Kate. Waghmare's induction comes days after the BJP inducted around 15 leaders associated with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Sunday night, following the declarat...