MUMBAI: Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that Sharad Pawar had "played a double game" in 2019 by first consenting to a BJP-NCP government and then backing off after 3-4 days, thus leaving Ajit Pawar no option but to do the early morning swearing-in.

Fadnavis also said it was "a shock" for him when he was asked last year to join the Eknath Shinde-led government as deputy CM.On the swearing-in with Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis said when Uddhav Thackeray started discussions with Congress to form government in 2019 and as their talks progressed, some people from NCP approached BJP and said the party was willing to go with BJP and form a stable government.

"There was a meeting with Sharad Pawar where it was decided government will be formed and the modus operandi was decided and all powers were given to me and Ajit Pawar to form the government.

We made preparations accordingly.

One fine moment, Pawar withdrew 3-4 days before the swearing-in.

Ajit Pawar was left with no alternative but to come with me because he would otherwise be exposed and completely finished.

He said to go ahead with the swearing-in and was confident that Pawar will come along," Fadnavis said in an interview to Republic TV.The process for forming government had started with discussions with Sharad Pawar, he added.

He said what Uddhav did was "back-stabbing" by breaking the alliance.

"What Pawar did was double playing.

He played a double game with us," he said.On being made Dy CM, Fadnavis said, "I accept it was a shock for me.

To become deputy CM...

because I had gone into the mindset that I have to work for party and suddenly told...

but if you ask me today I would say it was a correct decision.

Because I am there, I am able to run the agenda properly, take care of the party and the government is benefitting from my experience.

I believe the decision taken then was correct." He said, "I told my party a wrong message will go that I was greedy for CM's post so I became deputy CM, so give me party work.

But later there was discussion within the party and party leaders felt that it is a coalition government and someone experienced was required," he said.