Mumbai: The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on the ongoing Maharashtra government formation row on Tuesday, November 26 at 10.30 am. With this, the Fadnavis Government gets 24-hour breather in connection to floor test that the opposition has been demanding for.
The Supreme Court is hearing a petition of the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP against the surprise government formation by Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday morning. While Fadnavis was sworn-in as the CM, NCP’s Ajit Pawar became his deputy in an early morning swearing-in ceremony.
Governor invited the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis to form government in Maharashtra based on a letter showing the support of 170 MLAs, including all 54 of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)’s Ajit Pawar, the centre today told the Supreme Court. Rivals Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress have submitted documents claiming the support of 154 MLAs. The top court will deliver its verdict at 10:30 am tomorrow. The BJP, which has 105 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly, needs 40 more to reach the majority-mark of 145.
“We have 170 MLAs. The Governor saw the support of 170 MLAs. It is not a forged letter. The (BJP) was called and it took an oath,” said former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, representing Mr Fadnavis and the BJP.
“Ajit Pawar submitted the letter on 22 November with signatures of 54 MLAs,” Mr Mehta said, asserting that it was after this letter that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari invited Devendra Fadnavis to form government. “The letter says earlier I had expressed inability to form government. For a stable government, we have decided to support Devendra Fadnavis and we will serve Maharashtra,” said the top lawyer.
On Sunday, the Supreme Court held a special hearing on the petition and asked the center to produce the letter from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claiming a majority and that of the Governor inviting to form the government.
The court has not yet asked Mr Fadnavis to take a test of strength on the floor of the Maharashtra assembly as the three parties had demanded in their petition.
