SENSATIONAL: CM Devendra Fadnavis to resign, says 'BJP won't form Govt, will sit in Oppn'

Addressing a press briefing on Tuesday evening, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the sensational announcement of not forming the government in Maharashtra. CM Fadnavis said that BJP will sit in the Opposition and he would meet the Governor to tender his resignation as the party does not have numbers. The development comes even as the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning ordered that the floor test in Maharashtra assembly will be held at 5 PM on Wednesday. Fadnavis' press conference comes right after sources told Republic TV that his deputy, NCP leader Ajit Pawar has resigned from the post of Deputy CM.

Making sharp remarks on Shiv Sena, Fadnavis said that the mandate was given to the Mahayuti alliance but the tempt of power made Shiv Sena break years-old-alliance. He said that his party will not indulge in horse-trading and therefore he will resign and sit in Opposition. He assured that his party will be a good opposition. He also said that it is shameful that Shiv Sena will take oath under interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Nevertheless, he thanked Shiv Sena for being part of his five years tenure.

Communication gap? NCP's Jayant Patil unaware of Ajit Pawar's resignation as Maha DyCM

Ajit Pawar's resignation

In what is being called a major twist in Maharashtra's political scenario, sources informed that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has resigned from his post. However, speaking to media concurrent to the reports, the new Legislative Party Leader of the NCP, Jayant Patil, said that he has not been informed about his resignation till now. Sources had also said on Sunday that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had summoned Ajit Pawar and had asked him to resign.

Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamana also confirmed the resignation of Ajit Pawar. Speaking to media, right after the development, Sanjay Raut said that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will be the CM. He also said that there will be no rotational CM and that Uddhav Thackeray will ensure a stable government. He confirmed that Ajit Pawar who had extended his support to BJP is back to the fold. 

READ: NCP's efforts continue as Ajit Pawar drops hint after meeting senior party netas: Sources

Fadnavis took oath as CM, Ajit Pawar as Deputy CM

In a massive turn of events, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday morning was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and NCP's Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as Deputy CM. While Ajit Pawar had claimed that he has the support of a few other NCP MLAs, all of them have sworn allegiance to NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar. Distancing his party from Ajit Pawar's decision, Sharad Pawar removed him from as leader of the NCP Legislative Party and appointed Jayant Patil at his place.

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This development came after almost a month-long drama in which all the parties were given a chance by the Governor to form the government in Maharashtra, failing which President Rule was imposed. The election result in the state gave a clear mandate to the Mahayuti, which had a fallout over the CM post. BJP won 105 seats and Sena 56 seats. The NCP bagged 54 seats, and the Congress won 44 seats.

READ: Ajit Pawar breaks silence moments after Supreme Court orders Maharashtra Floor test