The 80-hours-long BJP’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra did not reply on his alliance with his deputy Ajit Pawar of Nationalist Congress Party which lasted from November 23 to November 26.
Fadnavis while speaking to reporters today said, “Sahi waqt pe sahi baat karunga… chinta mat karo (I will say the right thing at the right time… don’t worry).”He was asked by reporters whether he considers it a mistake to ally with Ajit Pawar and form government.
In a stunning political development, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar as the new Deputy Chief Minister early on November 23 claiming that he has support of 54 NCP MLAs.
In the October 21 election, the BJP had won 105 out of 288 seats, while its pre-poll alliance partner Shiv Sena won 56 seats. The NCP and the Congress won 54 and 44 seats, respectively. However, the Shiv Sena had fallout with the BJP as Uddhav Thackeray demand rotational chief ministership. But the BJP refused to concede the demand of Shiv Sena.
President’s rule was imposed in Maharashtra on November 12, 18 days after the results of the elections were declared as none of the parties were able to form a government in the state.
While the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress came together and was finalizing modalities to form the government, the BJP led government was sworned-in by the governor in the wee hours.
On the urgent plea filed by the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress challenging Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s decision to swear in BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister and Ajit Pawar of NCP as the Deputy Chief Minister the three parties had urged the top court to order an immediate floor test. The Supreme Court on Tuesday, announced that Maharashtra will go for floor test on November 27, and all MLAs must take oath before 5pm till Wednesday administered by pro tem speaker which will be videographed.
Following the resignations of both Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar yesterday (reportedly decided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Party President Amit Shah and party Executive President JP Nadda in a meeting) in a meeting of the newly formed alliance comprising of Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress, a resolution was passed and accepted unanimously by all MLAs present in the meeting held at Hotel Trident in Mumbai and the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance has elected Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as its leader and Chief Minister candidate in Maharashtra.
Thackeray is going to take oath tomorrow as the CM while all the 288 newly-elected legislators of different political parties including ex-deputy chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar and Independents on Wednesday took oath at a special Assembly session called by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.