State party head Jayant Patil visited Raj Bhawan with a letter to the Governor to inform him about replacement of Ajit Pawar as the legislature party leader, and later claimed all NCP MLAs were with the party. In a dramatic turn of events on Saturday morning, the BJP turned the tables on former ally Shiv Sena to bring back Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra Chief Minister, taking the help of a faction of NCP MLAs led by Ajit Pawar.
The BJP has 105 MLAs, and claims the support of 14 Independents. BJP sources said 28 to 30 NCP MLAs were with Ajit, which would take their tally to 147-149 MLAs in the 288-member House. The BJP is also said to be wooing the six Independents with the Sena.
NCP state president Jayant Patil said seven of the 12 missing MLAs had called to say they were with the party, while five were not reachable. All constitutional rights of a legislature party chief have been bestowed on Patil. The legislature party leader has the power to issue whip to MLAs.
Saturday’s developments came hours after Sharad Pawar had named Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as the chief ministerial designate of an NCP, Sena, Congress alliance. The three parties were planning to stake claim to form the government on Saturday.
The formal decision to revoke President’s rule was taken shortly before 5.30 am by the President. Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta was only told in the morning. With fevered speculation swirling in Mumbai, the top-most question on everyone’s mind was if Ajit had the blessing of Pawar and other NCP leaders.
Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office statement: "CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar today met and discussed on various measures for additional support&assistance to unseasonal rain affected farmers. Tomorrow it will be further discussed with Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary."
Nine people arrested in Latur after a clash allegedly between Bharatiya Janata Party & Nationalist Congress Party workers. Case was registered against 17 people, out of which 9 have been arrested till now. (ANI)
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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar leaves from the residence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar at Varsha to meet CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Congress leaders leave after conclusion of their meeting.
The BJP's attempt to defeat Pawar Saheb in politics is like showing the sun a torchlight. Pawar Saheb was the sun of Maharashtra's politics, is and will remain so.
Jayant Patil requests Ajit Pawar to come back. "Ajit Pawar, you are the founder member of the NCP. We have all grown up in Sharad Pawar's shadow. However, for the welfare of the state, Pawar Saheb has decided to not go with the BJP. Respecting this decision, please come back," Patil said in tweet.
On Saturday, after Fadnavis was sworn in Maharashtra chief minister for a second term, propped up by the man he had termed corrupt not so long ago, videos of his tirade against the NCP leader went viral on social media. In the video, Fadnavis can be heard describing what Ajit Pawar would be doing in prison after the election. He would be, said Fadnavis, "Chakki peesing and peesing and peesing", words from the iconic film 'Sholay', used to describe prisoners doing hard, manual labour. (PTI)
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Sunday alleged that the BJP has been indulging in undemocratic practices like horse-trading and poaching of MLAs in non-BJP ruled states to topple elected governments. (PTI)
While major political parties in Maharashtra are slugging it out to form a government amidst twists and turns, all eyes are now on which way 13 Independents and 16 MLAs from smaller parties will swing in the quest to achieve the 145-mark in the 288-member House in floor test. (PTI)
NCP MLAs Sunday caught a cop in civilian clothes who they alleged was "spying" at Hotel Renaissance where the NCP and Shiv Sena leaders were staying. In a video shared by NCP Thane's Twitter handle, MLA Jitendra Awhad is seen confronting the cop and enquiring about his identity.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dhananjay Munde, says "I am with the party, I am with Pawar Saheb. Please don’t spread rumours.
Fadnavis shares photos of his interaction with BJP MLAs, other leaders earlier today.
Thankful for the warm welcome and wishes from karyakartas, MLAs and leaders at BJP office this afternoon, during the first meeting after taking oath as the Maharashtra CM.
NCP MLAs caught the cop who they alleged was "spying".
Cop roughed up for alleged snooping in Hotel Renaissance
Senior congress leader Ahmed Patel arrives at JW Marriott Hotel, where Congress MLAs are currently lodged. Other party leaders Ashok Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, Sushil Kumar Shinde, & Mallikarjun Kharge are already present at the hotel. (ANI)
NCP MLA Dilip Bankar, who was reportedly present at the swearing-in ceremony of Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis, said he could not attend the meeting on Saturday because of his child's illness. "I've always been with Sharad Pawar. I met him&told him that my child was ill,I had to go to Nashik, so I couldn't come to the meeting yesterday. We're supporting NCP, and not BJP.
NCP MLAs being moved from Hotel Renaissance to Hotel Hyatt due to security reasons.
The BJP on Sunday accused its one-time ally Shiv Sena of committing the "sin" of abandoning its founder Bal Thackeray's thoughts of aligning with the BJP by going with the Congress and the NCP for the sake of acquiring power in Maharashtra. (PTI)
No question of forming alliance with BJP, says Sharad Pawar.
To revoke President’s Rule in Maharashtra, the government has used a special Section in the Union government’s Transaction of Business Rules, which allows for revocation of President’s Rule without Cabinet approval if the Prime Minister “deems it necessary”. Read more
Congress leader Ashok Chavan said the senior-most member of the assembly should be made the Pro-tem Speaker as per the precedence. BJP is trying to gain more time from the Supreme Court, you can understand the motive behind this, they are trying to poach MLAs from other parties. (ANI)
A 45-year-old Shiv Sena supporter, Ramesh Balu, attempted suicide in Yavatmal yesterday, allegedly over formation of BJP government in the state. He is a resident of Washim district of the state.
BJP said they discussed and decided the strategy to comfortably sail through the floor test. In a press briefing after their meeting, BJP MLA Ashish Shellar said they have also passed a resolution congratulating Devendra Fadnavis on taking oath as Chief Minister.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at Lalit Hotel where Shiv Sena MLAs are lodged.
BJP said that the support of Ajit-led NCP to the newly-formed government is intact. The party attacked Shiv Sena arguing that they should introspect why they need to keep Sena MLAs under vigilance in a five-star hotel.
Ajit Pawar sais that he would always be in NCP and Sharad Pawar will always the leader of his party
Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena scared of alliance, said Shellar.
"We will provide an inclusive government," said Shellar, adding that they will continue to work for deprived section.
BJP, after in a press briefing said, Shiv Sena insulted the people's mandate in Maharashtra. "An environment of trust has spread across the state after Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the chief minister of Maharashtra," BJP MLA said AsishShellar.
Ajit Pawar thanks Modi, promises stable government in Maharashtra.
Spurning efforts of NCP to persuade him to resign from Maharashtra's deputy CM post, Ajit Pawar on Sunday thanked PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, and other prominent BJP leaders.
Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray arrives at Hotel Lalit to meet Sena MLAs
According to a senior leader attending the NCP-Sena meet in the Renaissance Hotel, Uddhav Thackeray confirmed that NCP, Sena, Congress and independents together have close to 165 and will form the government in Maharashtra.
Udhav Thackeray, while addressing the meeting of the Sena and NCP leaders at the Renaissance Hotel, said, "Don't worry, this (NCP-Sena) relationship will last long. We are going to form the government (in Maharashtra)."
NCP chief Sharad Pawar addresses Shiv Sena, NCP leaders at the Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP state president Chandrakant Patil, and other party leaders at the meeting of the legislators of the party.
NCP leader Praful Patel also reaches Hotel Renaissance in Mumbai to attend NCP-Sena meet.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrives at BJP office for a meeting of the legislators of the party.
The Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group will meet tomorrow at 10 Janpath (official residence of party interim president Sonia Gandhi) for a meeting.
BJP leaders arrive for a meeting of the legislators of the party in Mumbai.
Not a single Congress leader has arrived at the NCP-Shiv Sena meeting in Renaissance hotel. Uddhav Thackeray is likely to meet Congress leader Ahmed Patel at J W Marriott after the meeting.
Amid the political drama in Maharashtra with NCP's Ajit Pawar supporting the BJP to form government, the people of Baramati, which is the bastion of Pawars, are hopeful that Sharad Pawar will be able to resolve the current crisis in his party. While some locals from Baramati expressed displeasure over Ajit Pawar's step, others were hopeful that Sharad Pawar would be able to handle the situation and bring his nephew back into the NCP. "The decision of Ajit Pawar is wrong but we are sure that senior (Sharad) Pawar will bring him back to the party fold," a 35-year-old local from Baramati said on condition of anonymity.
Sena MP Aaditya Thackeray also arrived at Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai.
Uddhav Thackeray arrives at Renaissance Hotel to meet NCP MLAs.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has left from his residence for Renaissance Hotel, to meet NCP MLAs.
NCP MLA Manikrao Kokate arrived at Renaissance Hotel where other MLAs of the party are staying. He had reportedly accompanied Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to the Governor’s residence and was missing since yesterday. (Express photo/Amit Chakravarty)
The hearing on Sunday in the Supreme Court on the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine plea is the third instance this year when the apex court held a special proceeding on a non-working day. On April 20, the top court held an extraordinary hearing on Saturday after a former employee of the apex court accused then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi of sexual harassment and persecution. Later on November 9, the apex court delivered its historic verdict, again on Saturday, in the Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case in Ayodhya granting entire 2.77 acre of disputed land in Ayodhya to deity Ram Lalla. This is the third instance when the apex court this year held hearing on a holiday.
Nitin Pawar, a first time MLA from tribal-dominated Kalwan constituency located in North Maharashtra, released a video, saying he stands by Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar and the NCP. He is one of the five MLAs who the NCP could not contact.
BJP leader Ashish Shelar said, "After going through the Supreme Court order, one thing has come up very clearly, that the Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena's demand has not been accepted by the court. They've fallen flat on their face."
Former NCP MLC, Ramrao Wadkute, who had joined BJP ahead of state elections, also visited Ajit Pawar. While interacting with the press, Wadkute said, "I had come to visit him as a family member and no political decision was discussed." When asked if Ajit Pawar was happy with his decision, Wadkute said, "He has taken the decision according to what felt right to his mind, why will he not be happy?"
NCP chief Sharad Pawar arrives at Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai. He is slated to hold a meeting with party MLAs at 2 pm. (Express photo/Amit Chakravarty)
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala outside Supreme Court on Sunday. (Express photo/Gajendra Yadav)
Senior Congress leader and advocate Abhishek Singhvi outside Supreme Court on Sunday. (Express photo/Gajendra Yadav)
NCP MLA Dilip Walse Patil leaves Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's residence along with party leaders Jayant Patil and Suresh Dhas. The leaders left without holding any interaction.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar has arrived at the Renaissance Hotel. Spokesperson Nawab Malik said Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is on his way and that their aim to form a new government from the same hotel where the BJP had managed to bring down the Karnataka coalition.
A Shiv Sena supporter allegedly tried to commit suicide in Washim district apparently after being upset over party chief Uddhav Thackeray not becoming the chief minister, police said on Sunday. The incident took place at Manora Chowk on Saturday evening when Ramesh Balu Jadhav, a resident of Umari village in Washim, located around 580 km from Mumbai, came there for some work. Jadhav, who was inebriated, inflicted several cuts on his hands with a blade, an official at Digras police station said. When a traffic policeman saw Jadhav slashing his hands with the blade, he ran towards him and thwarted his suicide bid. Jadhav was then rushed to a state-run hospital where he was undergoing treatment, he said. "He was drunk and may have taken the step under the influence of alcohol," the official said, adding that a probe was underway into the incident.
Congress leader Anand Sharma told ANI, "The midnight coup was unprecedented. There was no grave emergency between midnight and the day. It shows the intent. The Supreme Court should go into all aspects otherwise it'll become a practice."
Another NCP MLA said, "I am Babasaheb Mohan Rao Patil, MLA from Ahmedpur in Latur district. I want to tell the people of the district and party workers and voters of the constituency that I have contested as an NCP candidate. I contested under the leadership of respected Sharad Pawar. And the leadership of respected Dada and respected Supriya tai. We are followers of Sharad Pawar. And will remain so. We will remain with the NCP. I request the people not to fall prey to rumours."