NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his nephew Ajit Pawar’s decision to ally with the BJP was a ‘personal’ one and not taken by the party. (Express photo by Pradip Das)
Maharashtra Government Formation Live News Updates: The Supreme Court will hear the joint plea of Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena Sunday. The plea challenges the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s decision to allow the formation of the BJP-led government. Also, Ajit Pawar has been removed as the leader of the NCP’s Legislative Wing by the party MLAs who met in Mumbai and Jayant Patil has been named as the new leader.
The petition states that the ‘Governor has belittled the constitutional office of the Governor and has allowed himself to be a pawn in BJP’s illegal usurpation of power’.
Taking note of the sudden political developments in Maharashtra, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his nephew Ajit Pawar’s decision to ally with the BJP was a “personal” one and not taken by the party. He also said his party will initiate action against Ajit without fail. The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member Assembly, while the NCP had garnered 54 seats. The BJP needed the support of at least 10 MLAs to stake claim.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray after the meeting with NCP and Congress, in Mumbai on Friday. (Express Photo: Nirmal Harindran)
Highlights
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs arrive at Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai.
Justice NV Ramana, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Sanjiv Khanna to hear tomorrow at 11: 30 am the joint plea of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress against the decision of Maharashtra Governor inviting Devendra Fadnavis to form the government on Nov 23.
Bharatiya Janata Party is of the view that Ajit Pawar's appointment as NCP legislative party leader was valid and appointment of Jayant Patil in his place today is invalid.
The Supreme Court will hear the joint plea of Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena tomorrow. The plea challenges the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's decision to allow the formation of the BJP-led government. The petition states that the 'Governor has belittled the constitutional office of the Governor and has allowed himself to be a pawn in BJP’s illegal usurpation of power'.
"Devendra Fadnavis has mislead the Maharashtra Governor. He must resign. NCP has the numbers, only 4-5 NCP MLAs are not in touch with the party. Ajit Pawar should return to his home," says Chavan.
"Five of our MLAs are not in contact with us, 6 are about to arrive&rest have arrived. On the basis of numbers we have, we'll defeat the government in election of speaker itself. After which, Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government will definitely be formed in Maharashtra," Malik told ANI.
NCP leader Nawab Malik talking to mediapersons after party meeting: "A resolution was passed unanimously that party does not endorse Ajit Pawar's decision and he has been removed as NCP legislative party leader. Till the election of a new leader, Jayant Patil is given responsibilities of the post," says Malik.
(Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
PTI reported that atleast nine NCP MLAs who attended swearing-in of Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra returned to the party fold and expressed solidarity with party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday evening.
With Maharashtra in a political bind following a coup by NCP's Ajit Pawar who joined hands with the BJP on Saturday, MLAs of the ally Congress are likely to fly to Jaipur on Sunday to ward off any poaching bid, a party leader told PTI.
Ajit Pawar has been removed as the leader of the NCPs Legislative Wing by the party MLAs who met in Mumbai. Jayant Patil named as the new leader.
Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh on Saturday advised the Shiv Sena to "take to the streets" of Mumbai to protest against the formation of a new BJP-led government in Maharashtra. He also claimed that NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who took oath as deputy chief minister along with CM Devendra Fadnavis, had joined the new government alone, and no other NCP MLA was with him. The Sena "should hit the streets to protect the Constitution", Singh said. "This is a challenge before (Shiv Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray, that he show the Shiv Sena's strength in Mumbai," Singh told reporters here. (PTI)
The BJP on Saturday asserted that it had the "electoral and moral" mandate to form a government in Maharashtra and brushed aside the criticism of its alliance with NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who was accused by the saffron party in the past of corruption, saying the tie-up was guided by the "given situation". BJP leader and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at the Congress-NCP and the Shiv Sena, saying those who were "dead opposed" to each other joined hands to "grab" power, while the saffron party and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had won the popular mandate to form government. (PTI)
CM Devendra Fadnavis in front of the BJP Headquarters in Mumbai on Saturday evening. (Express photo by Pradip Das)
"The facts, in this case, demonstrate that the Hon’ble Governor has belittled the constitutional office of the Governor and has allowed himself to be a pawn in BJP’s illegal usurpation of power,” Sena wrote in the petition.
Shiv Sena has said in the petition that "issue appropriate directions in terms of summoning a special session of the Fourteenth Maharashtra Legislative Assembly with the only agenda of administering oath to the MLAs, immediately followed by the holding of a floor test on 24.11.2019"
"It is submitted that the Hon’ble Governor has acted in a partisan manner and has made a mockery of the high office of the Governor. It is respectfully submitted that the Governor’s actions between the intervening night of 22.11.2019 and 23.11.2019 culminating to the swearing in on the 23.11.2019 are a text book example of the Governor acting at the behest of a political party in power at the Centre," the Shiv Sena's petition stated.
Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has moved the Supreme Court to file a writ petition against BJP's government formation in Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is presently holding a meeting with NCP MP Sunil Tatkare and NCP MLAs Dilip Walse Patil and Hasan Mushrif at his brother Sriniwas Pawar's residence; Security has been heightened outside the residence of Sriniwas Pawar.
NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has said that his nephew’s action is an act of indiscipline, and attracts the provisions of the anti-defection law.
“NCP MLAs who support the BJP should know this move attracts provisions of anti-defection law,” Pawar said in a joint press conference with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray who until past midnight on Friday looked set to be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra. READ MORE
The last step in the legislative journey of the anti-defection law came in 2003. A Constitution Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament by the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to address some of the issues with the law. A committee headed by Pranab Mukherjee examined the Bill. The committee observed: “The provision of split has been grossly misused to engineer multiple divisions in the party, as a result of which the evil of defection has not been checked in the right earnest. Further, it is also observed that the lure of office of profit plays dominant part in the political horse-trading resulting in spate of defections and counter defections.” READ MORE
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot stated that it is his duty to protect Congress MLAs from the horse-trading that's going on everywhere. "The MLAs are welcomed in Jaipur if they wish to come here," he said.
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP MLAs who revolted against Sharad Pawar have been moved the national capital.
Devendra Fadnavis said that BJP is confident of providing a strong government in Maharashtra with the help of Ajit Pawar-led NCP. "Narendra Modi hain to mumkin hai," he says.
Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randip Surjewala stated that BJP is acting as a hitman on the Constitution of India. "It has become a new norm to trample the trust of the people as also seen in the Karnataka elections. The spokesperson also stated that the Maharashtra Governor is failing in his duty to guard the constitution.
"Maharashtra will be in the headlines for a while. Take a deep breath. It’s not over yet. Far from it. Picture abhi baki hai mere dost," tweeted Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said it was the prerogative of the governor to invite a party to form a government. The comments came after BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader "At this point of time in this programme, I do not wish to make any political statement. It was the prerogative of the governor," Singh said at an event in Lucknow. "The governor invited the person (to form the government) after he was satisfied," he added. (PTI)
Accusing the BJP of "sordid manipulation", the Left parties on Saturday said it could do anything to "grab power", referring to the government formation by the saffron party in Maharashtra, backed by the NCP. "Sordid manipulations for grabbing power. The political immorality of the BJP has reached its nadir. The clandestine manner in which the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra have been sworn-in shows the extent to which the BJP can stoop to grab power," the CPI(M) said in a statement. (PTI)
"Throughout the election campaign, Devendra Fadnavis' name was projected as the Maharashtra Chief Minister. The support base of BJP & the prospect of Devendra Fadnavis becoming CM played a crucial role in the success of Shiv Sena candidates," says Ravi Shankar Prasad.
"It is important to understand that the mandate in Maharashtra assembly elections was in favour of BJP. On whose direction was Shiv Sena going hostile and demanding things that we had agreed to in the past is for you to see. There was an attempt to take over the financial capital of the country through unfair means," says Ravi Shankar Prasad in the presser.
"I had earlier said anything can happen in cricket and politics, now you can understand what I meant," says Nitin Gadkari when asked to remark on Maharashtra government formation.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut claimed that NCP's Ajit Pawar was "blackmailed" into joining hands with the BJP to form government in Maharashtra. He said Ajit Pawar might return to the NCP fold. BJP's Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday took oath as Maharashtra chief minister, while Ajit Pawar as his deputy. "NCP leader Dhananjay Munde has been contacted. Ajit Pawar may also return (to NCP fold). We have information how Ajit Pawar has been blackmailed and will expose this soon," Raut was quoted as saying by PTI.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will address the media at 3 pm.
"It is baseless to say that the Congress delayed, they should introspect what happened today. What has taken place is that some people walked out of the NCP and extended support to the BJP," Ahmed Patel said. He added that the party will fight this both on the political and legal front.
"There is no confusion within Congress. We couldn't attend a joint press conference as we were informed later. All our MLAs are with us. Two have gone back to their Constituencies, rest are all here in Mumbai The three parties (Congress, NCP, Sena) will stay together to defeat the floor test. All three parties are on board," Ahmed Patel said.
"All limits of shamelessness have been crossed. The allies were at the same pace. The Governor gave time only to the BJP. The BJP was invited first followed by the Sena and the NCP. Congress wasn't invited. The manner in which the swearing-in was done raises suspicion. This is a mockery of Constitution. There is a limit to shamelessness. They (the BJP) has crossed them all. The moment Uddhav Thackeray approached us, we adopted a stance that we will consult our alliance partner and make a decision collectively. We had two meetings at Sharad Pawar's residence in Delhi, everything was going on well, and then this fraud happened. There was no delay from our end," Ahmed Patel said.
AICC leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge, Venugopal are addressing the media in Mumbai. "Without any 'band, baaja, baarat', this incident has been scripted in black ink in the history of Maharashtra. Without any confirmation, a leader goes to the Governor with a list of signatures. I can sense that something is wrong somewhere. They have made a joke of the Indian Constitution," Patel said.
Congress leader Priya Dutt tweeted, "Not surprised with the developments in Maharashtra. BJP was a bit too quiet through it all, wish Congress would have acted faster. Their delayed decision gave a window to BJP to strike. One more opportunity lost."
A furious Congress today asked why did NCP chief Sharad Pawar walk out of the meeting on Saturday allowed the conflict on the Speaker's post unresolved between Congress and NCP and Shiv Sena.