Maharashtra midnight political drama leaves people shocked.
By: – Syed Ali Taher Abedi
The people of Maharashtra are immensely shocked after Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the CM of Maharashtra.
Saturday was an action-packed day in Maharashtra politics as the BJP managed to rope-in NCP’s Ajit Pawar and a letter than pledged support of 54 NCP MLA’s. But the battle for Maharashtra is far from over.
Amidst this political twists and turns in Maharashtra, all the three major political parties Sive Sena, NCP, INC filed a petition in Supreme Court against the decision of Maharashtra Governor to invite BJP to form government.
The swearing in ceremony took place early in the morning with senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar being sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister, thereby creating a rift in the NCP party, the NCP faction led by its supremo Sharad Pawar, along with its new alliance partner Shiv Sena and its old ally, has now approached the Apex court challenging the decision of the Governor to invite the BJP to form a “minority government”. It is also asserted that the alliance has the numbers and goes to state,
The President’s role imposed in the state on November 12 was revoked in haste on the wee hours of Saturday to facilitate the formation of BJP Government.
It is submitted in the petition that “the petitioners political alliance constitutes a clear majority in the House.It is submitted that the action of the Hon’ble Governor is installing a minority Government is ex facie against the basic rule of law and rule of Parliamentary democracy i.e. “rule by majority”.
Questioning the actions of the Governor, the petition states that the Governor ought to have studied and considered the claim made by Fadnavis, if any, considering that up until the previous night the alliance had strength of 154 MLA on its side. The petition also raises the issue of why the oath was administered early in the morning and why the president’s rule rescind from the state in the wee hours of Saturday morning.
The Governor of state has acted in a “partisan manner” and “made a mockery of the high office of the Governor”.
“Unfortunately, the facts, in this case, demonstrate that the Hon’ble Governor has belittled the constitutional office of the Governor and has allowed himself to be a pawn in BJP’s illegal usurpation of power.”
The actions of the Governor to invite BJP to form government in the state is in the teeth of law laid down by the Supreme Court and against the basic rule of law, the petition submits. The alliance parties, therefore, have prayed for the Court to quash the order of the Governor of Maharashtra inviting Fadnavis to form the Government as void, ab initio, illegal and arbitrary. They have further sought for a direction to be passed by the Court for the Governor to invite the alliance, which has the support of more than 144 MLAs, to form the government.
An urgent hearing in this case has been granted to the parties and the Court will hear the same on Sunday Morning
Read the petition here
