The Indian Panorama

Tag: Phadnavis

  • Maharashtra Mahabharat : Devendra Phadnavis Announces his Resignation as Chief Minister

    Maharashtra Mahabharat : Devendra Phadnavis Announces his Resignation as Chief Minister

    MUMBAI(TIP):  The beleaguered Devendra Fadnavis announced at a press conference here on November 26 that he will submit his resignation to the Governor.

    Fadnavis in his statement said that the people of Maharashtra had given a clear mandate to BJP- Shiv Sena combine to form a government. But Shiv Sena claimed chief minister’s position with BJP on a rotational basis, something BJP had never agreed to. BJP made all efforts to have its old alliance partner to drop the demand but was stonewalled. Shiv Sena chose the parties it had always opposed.

    NCP offered BJP support to form a government and a claim of majority was submitted to the governor who invited Fadnavis to form the government.

    However, situation has changed.  “We do not have majority. We will sit in the opposition”, said Fadnavis.

    All eyes are now on Maharashtra Governor who is expected to accept the resignation of Fadnavis and invite the leader of the legislature party of Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance to form a government.

    (It is a developing story)

  • Maharashtra Mahabharat: Supreme Court Orders Floor Test on November 27

    Maharashtra Mahabharat: Supreme Court Orders Floor Test on November 27

    Sena, NCP, Congress hail apex court order; BJP says will prove majority

    Ajit Pawar resigns as deputy chief minister

    Ajit Pawar has resigned as deputy chief minister

    Developing story

    I.S. Saluja

    NEW DELHI / MUMBAI(TIP): The high drama over government formation in Maharashtra is full of surprises and interesting twists.  The efforts for a ghar vapasi of Ajit Pawar seem to be succeeding with Ajit Pawar resigning as deputy chief minister, November 26 afternoon.

    Earlier in the morning, Supreme Court of India delivered its verdict on petitions filed by Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress challenging Maharashtra Governor’s “arbitrary and unconstitutional” action in inviting Fadnavis to form a government and swearing him in as chief minister who does not command majority. The petitioners claimed that they had the numbers and demanded immediate floor test.

    The Supreme Court directed that the floor test for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the Maharashtra Assembly be conducted on Wednesday, November 27.

    It directed Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to ensure that all elected members of the House were sworn in on Wednesday itself.

    The apex court said the entire proceedings had to be telecast live. Voting in the Assembly would not be on the basis of secret ballot, it said.

    Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister and NCP’s Ajit Pawar as his deputy by the governor at a hush-hush ceremony in Raj Bhavan on Saturday morning.

    In the 288-member House, the BJP will have to prove support of 145 MLAs to remain in power.

    The BJP and the Sena, which fought the last month’s Assembly polls in an alliance, secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats, respectively.

    The Sena, however, broke its three-decade-long ties with the BJP after the latter declined to share the chief minister’s post.

    The NCP and Congress won 54 and 44 seats, respectively.

    Welcoming the Supreme Court’s order calling for a floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday, the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress on Tuesday said truth would win and asserted that the BJP would be defeated.

    On its part, the BJP said it respected the verdict and expressed confidence that it would prove majority on the floor of the House.

    NCP chief Sharad Pawar, whose nephew Ajit Pawar rebelled against the party last week and supported the BJP to form government in the state, hailed the apex court for upholding the constitutional principles.

    “I am grateful to Hon’ble SC for upholding democratic values and constitutional principles. It’s heartening that the Maharashtra Verdict came on the #ConstitutionDay, a Tribute to Bharatratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar!” Pawar tweeted after the ruling.

    Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said truth could not be defeated.

    “Satyamev jayate” (truth shall prevail), Raut tweeted.

    “Satya pareshan ho sakta hai…parajit nahi ho sakta…Jai Hind!!” (Truth can get frustrated, but cannot get defeated), he said in another tweet.

    Sena leader Eknath Shinde said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should resign as the Uddhav Thackeray’s party-led coalition had the support of “162 MLAs” to prove majority in the Maharashtra Assembly.

    He claimed that during the floor test, the ‘Maha Vikas Aghadi’ of the Sena, NCP and Congress would have the support of “170 legislators”.

    NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik also hailed the Supreme Court order.

    “Satyamev Jayate BJP ka khel khatm (Truth alone shall win, end of the BJP’s game),” Malik said on the micro-blogging site.

    Welcoming the ruling, the Congress said the Constitution is supreme in a democracy, “which is more powerful than money and muscle power”.

    Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil exuded confidence that his party would be able to prove majority on the floor of the House.

    “We respect the court order. We are ready to prove majority and we will show it,” Patil told reporters here.

    The BJP would hold a meeting of its senior leaders on Tuesday to work out a strategy ahead of the floor test, he said.

    (With inputs from agencies)

  • Maharashtra Government Formation: Sena approaches SC, calls Maharashtra Governor’s action arbitrary, malafide

    Maharashtra Government Formation: Sena approaches SC, calls Maharashtra Governor’s action arbitrary, malafide

    Dilip Patil replaces rebel Ajit Pawar as leader of NCP legislature party

    I.S. Saluja

    MUMBAI/NEW DELHI (TIP): Maharashtra government formation is presenting swift and interesting scenes. After the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari swore in Devendra Fadnavis as the chief minister on November 23 morning, the ShivSena challenged the Governor’s “arbitrary and malafide actions and decisions” in the Supreme Court.

    The party has filed a writ petition in the apex court against the state governor, a Sena functionary said here.

    Meanwhile, NCP leader Sharad Pawar held a meeting of NCP legislators in Mumbai. At the meeting, Dilip Patil was elected leader of the legislature party in place of the rebel Ajit Pawar who claimed support of 22 MLAs and was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister in Phadnavis government.

    Addressing a press conference, Sharad Pawar, who was accompanied by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis did not have the numbers to win the vote of confidence in the Maharashtra Assembly.

    Pawar also produced three MLAs of the NCP, who accused Ajit of luring them to the Raj Bhavan where they were paraded before Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari.

    “Ten to 11 MLAs had gone with Ajit Pawar to the Raj Bhavan this morning. Of them three are with me here and the others will soon follow,” Sharad Pawar said.

    He added that the MLAs who were still with Ajit Pawar knew that they stood to lose their membership of the state Assembly under the anti-defection law. “All the MLAs who went with Ajit Pawar are in touch with us,” Sharad Pawar said.

    The Maratha chieftain pointed out that as leader of the NCP legislature party, Ajit Pawar had a list of signatures of all the party MLAs. “I assume he has submitted the same list to the Governor. I will have to speak to the Governor and find out,” Pawar said.

    Three MLAs, who were taken to the Raj Bhavan by Ajit Pawar, showed up at Sharad Pawar’s press conference where they alleged that they were duped by the younger leader. “Ajit Pawar had called me to discuss something where I found some other MLAs. We were all suddenly taken to Raj Bhavan and before we could understand what was happening, the oath-taking ceremony was completed,” NCP MLA Rajendra Shingane told reporters. His testimony was backed by two other NCP MLAs, Sandip Kshirsagar and Sunil Bhusara, who said they were unwittingly taken to the Raj Bhavan for the oath-taking ceremony.

    The three leaders said they immediately came to Sharad Pawar as soon as they got out of Raj Bhavan.

    Addressing the media, Uddhav Thackeray said the BJP is practicing horse-trading. “Let them try luring any Shiv Sena MLA and they know what awaits them,” Thackeray said.

    Hitting out at Fadnavis, Thackeray said the CM did not respect democratic values. “…..from now on there is no need for election. Instead of saying ‘I will return’ some people should simply apply Fevicol to their chair and sit on it,” Thackeray said.

    Later in the day, senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said Ajit Pawar gave the letter of support on behalf of all 54 NCP MLAs. “There is no need for a separate letter from each legislator. The letter from the leader of the Legislature Party is sufficient,” Mungantiwar told reporters.

    The month-long political impasse, after the October 24election results, ended dramatically with Devendra Fadnavis returning as the chief minister, backed by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

    NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister.

    Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath to the two in the morning ceremony, where only official media was present.

    “People had given us a clear mandate, but Shiv Sena tried to ally with other parties after results, after which President’s rule was imposed. Maharashtra needed a stable government, not a ‘khichadi’ govt,” Fadnavis said.

    Ajit Pawar, after taking oath as Deputy Chief Minister, said: “From result day on October 24, no party was able to form the government. Maharashtra was facing many problems, including farmer issues. So, we decided to form a stable government.”

    Sharad Pawar on Thursday, November 21 night had said there was a consensus among the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena that Uddhav Thackeray should lead the new government.

    The political situation in Maharashtra is fluid and nobody can possibly predict the next scenario. However, one thing appears to be certain that given the fact that BJP is determined to have control of Maharashtra, it will go to any extent to remain in power now that Phadnavis is sworn in as chief minister. It may well be the repeat of Karnataka. Thanks to availability of huge funds and no accountability on sources of funding and spending, political parties will freely go in for horse trading, something which is an integral part of the political culture of India, as widespread corruption from top to bottom is. Reports are that each political party is securing its MLAs, keeping them in hiding, to prevent crossovers.

    (With inputs from PTI)