Eknath Shinde: We've given letter citing support of 162 MLAs to Maha Governor

Senior leader Eknath Shinde on Monday said that Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress have the required numbers and added that they have given the letter, where 162 MLAs have pledged support to their alliance to Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. This statement of Shinde comes after earlier on Monday, Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena leaders submitted the letter to the officials at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.

'Letter of support of 162 MLAs given to the Governor'

"We've given the letter of support of 162 MLAs to the Governor. In a democracy, only the majority number holds importance. We want that the minority government formed on November 23, should resign as they can't prove the majority. Those with the majority should be given the opportunity. Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress have numbers and we want to form the government but our claim was rejected and it's like cheating the democracy" said Shinde.

Shinde further demanded Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's resignation citing lack of numbers. "We have signatures of 162 MLAs and we have proven that we can form the government. The current government which is formed overnight should not be given acceptance as they don't have the numbers. We demand the resignation of Chief Minister Fadnavis as they don't have numbers," said Shinde.

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'BJP Government is unsuccessful in proving the numbers'

Echoing similar sentiments, NCP leader Jayant Patil earlier today had asserted that a government has been formed in the state but the concerned political parties do not have adequate numbers.

"We have a doubt that if the BJP Government is unsuccessful in proving the numbers, they will indulge in bad practices and therefore we have taken signatures of MLAs beforehand. The government that does not have numbers and has no third person other than the two faces which are being shown regularly, should not create a false public perception that they have numbers and can form the government," said Patil.

Patil told reporters here that he will once again try to convince Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for one last time. "I will go to Ajit Pawar once again to convince him and this could be for the last time. If we are successful in doing so then it's fine otherwise the party will decide its next step," said Patil.

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SC hearing

Supreme Court order in the hearing which was reserved for tomorrow will take place at 10:30 AM. Arguments from both sides were heard today with the Shiv Sena-NCP-INC alliance pushing for a floor test to be conducted immediately and Senior Counsel Mukul Rohatgi requesting that the CM be given time to respond to the petition. Mukul Rohatgi pushed for a floor test to be conducted after 14 days but later settled for 7 days, stating that would be a more "reasonable time", which will allow the CM to respond to the petition as well conduct a floor test.

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Political scenario

On Monday, Ajit Pawar had dug his heels in by thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah, and other BJP leaders and said that he would along with CM Devendra Fadnavis, ensure a stable government. He also changed his Twitter bio to Deputy CM of Maharashtra, while also maintaining that he is an NCP leader. He then asked the NCP to be patient with him.

Devendra Fadnavis takes oath as CM

After the fallout with the Shiv Sena over Government formation in Maharashtra, after the Assembly elections results, Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister on Saturday, while NCP leader Ajit Pawar took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister, in a move that took everyone by surprise. Since then, a Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction which appears to contain most of the MLAs has spoken multiple times of forming a government with Shiv Sena and Congress. 

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(with ANI inputs)