In the extraordinary political drama unfolding in Maharashtra since dawn on Saturday (November 23), it remains unclear precisely how many Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) lawmakers are with Ajit Pawar in his decision to join hands with the BJP.
Pawar was removed as the NCP's legislature unit leader on Saturday, hours after he joined hands with the BJP in a coup and took oath as deputy of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
He spent Saturday at his brother's home in Mumbai even as his uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar attended a party meeting where most of the NCP MLAs were present.
The Supreme Court on Saturday agreed to hear a petition filed by Shiv Sena-Congress-National Congress Party (NCP) seeking a floor test within 24 hours to avoid horse-trading and "illegal manoeuvres" in Maharashtra today. Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress moved to Supreme Court seeking quashing of the Maharashtra Governor's decision to swear-in BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister, following which the court authorities confirmed a hearing on the petition at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Mahindra retweeted an old viral video of a Kabaddi match, which showed a `raider' getting trapped by a `defender'.
In a stunning turn of events in Maharashtra, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday returned as Chief Minister propped up by NCP's Ajit Pawar, who was made his deputy, just hours after the new alliance of Shiv Sena, the NCP, and the Congress reached a consensus that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will be their chief ministerial candidate. Seeking immediate floor test, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine on Saturday night filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the Maharashtra Governor's decision to swear-in BJP's Devendra Fadnavis to avoid "further horse-trading". As an action-packed day in Maharashtra politics comes to an end, IndiaTVnews.com brings to you all the highlights from November 24:
Supreme Court will hear the plea filed by Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress seeking quashing of the Maharashtra governor's decision to swear-in BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister, at 11:30 am on Sunday. The three parties will also seek a direction to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to invite them to form the government under the leadership of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying they have the support of more than 144 MLAs.
Until Friday, Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray seemed odds on to become the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra but what happened hours later shook the political circles - when visuals of Devendra Fadnavis being sworn in as CM flashed across television channels on Saturday morning, and standing by him was Ajit Pawar of the NCP.
This political shocker in Maharashtra may have caused much grief to the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena but the early morning development left netizens amused on Twitter. While some took to Twitter, comparing the BJP's turnaround to oft-shocking plot lines in HBO's show 'Game of Thrones', others credited Amit Shah to be the 'best finisher' and compared him to 'Chanakya'.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar acted like Shakuni and Duryodhana and killed the democracy in the state." It was a black day for democracy, he added. The Congress has posed ten questions to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister over Maharashtra developments.
According to reports, the party is planning to shift its MLAs to Madhya Pradesh till the trust vote is concluded. This move comes to avoid horse-trading ahead of the floor tests which is slated to be held on 30 November.
On September 24, the ED had registered a case of money laundering against Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar and several others, triggering a political turmoil in Maharashtra ahead of the October 21 Assembly elections for 288 seats.
Sharad Pawar said that 10-11 MLAs have gone with Ajit Pawar but that number is not enough to escape anti-defection law. He claimed that the BJP will not be able to prove its majority in the Assembly.
The Prime Minister had made it clear that Devendra Fadnavis was again going to be the Chief Minister. Fadnavis's name was also endorsed in the parliamentary board meeting held late that same day.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar will hold a meeting of his party MLAs in Mumbai at 4.30 pm.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar and his daughter and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule should join the Union Cabinet of Prime mInister Narendra Modi and help strengthen the country and the Bharatiya Janata Party government with their experience and knowledge.
Maharashtra early on Saturday got a surprise pack of Chief Minister and his deputy in BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and NCP's Ajit Pawar. Here is what happened when:
According to a Home Ministry notification, President Ram Nath Kovind issued the proclamation for revocation of the central rule this morning.
After taking oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister again for the second consecutive term Devendra Fadnavis said that the state needed a stable government and not a 'Khichdi' government. "People had given us a clear mandate, but Shiv Sena tried to ally with other parties after results, as a result, President's rule was imposed. Maharashtra needed a stable govt, not a 'khichdi' government," said Fadnavis
Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi on Saturday expressed surprise at the political developments in Maharashtra.
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