All 162 MLAs of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance have gathered at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai. (Express photo)
Hitting back at the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP combine over their show of strength at a hotel on Monday evening, BJP said his party will win the “photo finish” race during the floor test in the assembly. “We are sure that we will win the floor test in the assembly, whenever it gets convened. Such parades in a hotel will not help in proving a majority on the floor,” BJP leader and former minister and Ashish Shelar said.
In a show of strength, 162 MLAs assembled under one roof at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai and took a pledge to commit to the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance. “I will be honest to the NCP-Sena-Congress alliance. I will not do any anti-party activity. I will never work against my constituency and my party,” all 162 MLAs took an oath before their party leaders including Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
Thackeray said the alliance wanted to show its strength not only to Maharashtra but to the country. “Despite seeing this picture, if it does not light into the minds of people, then we have the strength to show that light. We are not saying I will come back but I’m saying we are back,” he said. Assuring its party members’ fears of disqualification, party chief Sharad Pawar said his nephew Ajit neither has the right to issue party whip nor can he suspend any members of the NCP. “Maharashtra is no Goa and Manipur. We will teach them a lesson,” he said.
Highlights
The BJP hit back at the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP combine over their show of strength at a hotel on Monday evening and said his party will win the "photo finish" race during floor test in the assembly. BJP leader and former minister and Ashish Shelar taunted the Sena-NCP-Congress for "identification parade" of their MLAs and termed it as a cruel joke on the people of the state and democracy.
Shiv Sena MPs on Monday met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and told her that they will not be part of the joint sitting of Parliament called to commemorate the Constitution Day.
Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar said the party MPs met Gandhi and also conveyed that the party will be with the opposition to protest against the political developments in Maharashtra. (PTI)
Shiv Sena MPs Anil Desai, Gajanan Kirtikar, Arvind Sawant and Rahul Shewale met Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi in Delhi, earlier today.
Samajwadi Party's Abu Azmi said after approval from his party chief Akhilesh Yadav, he has given a letter showing support of SP for Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.
In their first reaction on the oath-taking ceremony of 162 MLAs of the Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena alliance, BJP leader Ashish Shelar said that the majority in the Assembly cannot be proved by such "parades".
Assuring the NCP MLAs, Pawar said his nephew Ajit does not have the right to issue party whip, adding he neither does have the right to suspend any of the NCP members. "If he does that, I will personally take responsibility," Sharad Pawar said.
"Confusion is being created in the minds of the new MLAs that Ajit Pawar, who was elected as legislative party leader, has the powers to issue whip. And if the whip is not followed, then the MLAs may be disqualified. I want to clearly state that once that party leader is removed , he doesn't have the powers to do so," Pawar said.
Pawar said after the trust vote, the governor will have to call them. "Maharashtra is no Goa and Manipur. We will teach them a lesson," he said.
Taking an apparent dig at the BJP-led Centre, NCP chief addressing the 162 MLAs said those in power today have formed the government in some states despite not having the majority.
In a display of the alliance's strength, Pawar said, "We have 162 MLAs today. We have contacted with some others but haven't got their written letters."
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said the alliance wanted to show its strength not only to Maharashtra but to the country. "Despite seeing this picture, if it does not light into the minds of people, then we have the strength to show that light. We are not saying I will come back but I'm saying we are back," Thackeray said.
Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said, "After this meeting, the newly formed government should resign as they don't have the majority. We have 162 MLAs with us."
Congress leader Ashok Chavan at Hotel Grand Hyatt in Mumbai where Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress MLAs have assembled said, "We are more than 162, not just 162. We all will be a part of the govt. I thank Sonia Gandhi who allowed for this alliance to stop BJP. The Governor should invite us to form the government."
The legislators present at the Grand Hyatt Hotel are addressing all the MLAs.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and son Aaditya Thackeray arrive at Hotel Grand Hyatt. In a bid to show their strength, Sena-NCP-Congress's 162 MLAs have assembled at the venue from various hotels. Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and Ashok Chavan too have arrived at the venue. NCP chief Sharad Pawar too has reached the hotel.
Congress legislators heading for the joint Congress-NCP-Sena MLAs show of strength, click a picture on board the bus.
The newly appointed CM Devendra Fadnavis has sanctioned Rs 5380 crore from the Maharashtra Contingency Fund to give relief to farmers affected by unseasonal rain.
During the President's rule in the state, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had sanctioned a relief of Rs 8,000 per hectare up to two hectares for agricultural Kharif crops and Rs 18,000 per hectare up to two hectares for horticulture/perennial crops.
"We are all one and together," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut claimed that NCP-Sena-Congress alliance strength comprises of 162 MLAs, who will show up at Hyatt hotel today at 7 pm.
Around nine inquiries related to the multi-thousand crore irrigation scam have been closed by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB). Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is one of the people being investigated in the Irrigation scam.
The agency, however, says these were routine inquiries they were conducting in several tenders that were under the scanner, adding it does not impact over two dozen FIRs registered in the alleged irrigation scam.
Read more
The Lok Sabha was adjourned today due to the ruckus caused by Congress MPs who stormed the Well of the House to protests against the swearing-in of a BJP-led government in Maharashtra. The Speaker of the House Om Birla said the behaviour of the Congress MPs was "unacceptable" and will not be "tolerated".
"I am hurt by whatever happened in Parliament today. It is unacceptable and won't be tolerated," PTI quoted Birla as saying.
Indian Youth Congress (IYC) activists staged a demonstration near the Parliament House voicing against the BJP-led Centre over the alleged "illegal and undemocratic" manner of government formation in Maharashtra, PTI reported.
IYC president Srinivas BV said, there were several questions over the manner in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staked claim for power and was allowed to form government in Maharashtra and it was clear that rules and democratic norms were violated.