Following days of extraordinary political developments , Protem Speaker Kalidas Kolambkar administered the oath of office to newly-elected members at a special session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on November 27, 2019.
The special session at 8 a.m. was called by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, using the power vested to him under Article 174 (1) of the Indian Constitution. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is scheduled to take oath as the Chief Minister at 6.40 pm at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai on November 28.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Uddhav invites PM Modi to swearing-in ceremonyADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Uddhav Thackeray called Prime Minister Narendra Modi over phone and invited him to tomorrow’s swearing-in ceremony. The PM gave him his best wishes on the phone itself and congratulated him. The Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi is expected to shortly receive a formal invitation to the swearing-in ceremony, the party said in a statement.
Aaditya invites Sonia, Manmohan to father’s swearing-in
Shiv Sena MLA and Uddhav Thackeray's son Aaditya Thackeray called on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and invited them to the swearing-in of the MVA government at 6.40 pm tomorrow at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai.
Deputy CM from NCP, Speaker from Congress: Praful Patel
NCP to get Deputy Chief Minister’s post, and the Speaker will be from Congress, senior NCP leader Praful Patel says. There will be only one Deputy CM post in Maharashtra and the Deputy Speaker will be from NCP, he adds.
“Along with Uddhav Thackeray, one or two members from each of the three parties to take oath as Ministers tomorrow,” Mr. Patel says after a meeting of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress at Y.B. Chavan Centre in Mumbai.
Sena, NCP likely to get 15 Ministers each, Congress 13 + Speaker
The Shiv Sena and the NCP are likely to get 15 Ministerial berths each in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, sources have said.
The Congress is likely to get 13 berths plus the Speaker’s post.
The Sena will hold the CM’s post for full five years, sources added.
Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is going to be sworn in as chief minister on Thursday.
Sources said the Sena is likely to get 15 berths in the ministry, including the CM’s post. Sharad Pawar-led NCP is likely to have 15 ministers including a Deputy Chief Minister, while the Congress may get 13 berths and the Speaker’s post, they said.
Maharashtra can have a maximum of 43 Ministers.
Bahujan Vikas Agadhi backs Maharashtra Vikas Agadhi
Hitendra Thakur-led Bahujan Vikas Agadhi, which has three MLAs, has pledged support to the Maharashtra Vikas Agadhi.
With three members of BVA, the MVA will have the support of 169 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.
“BVA has given support to the MVA government,” senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan said. NCP sources said that Mr. Thakur met party chief Sharad Pawar to extend support.
In the results tally, the BVA with three MLAs is in fifth position after BJP (105), Shiv Sena (56), NCP (54) and Congress (44).
The BVA is dominant in Vasai-Virar belt of neighbouring Palghar district.
While Mr. Thakur is the MLA from Vasai, other two legislators of his party are his son Kshitij Thakur (Nalasopara) and Rajesh Patil (Boisar).
When the BJP and Sena were in talks for alliance for government formation, Mr. Kshitij Thakur met then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and State BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on November 1, and extended support of his party.
Did NCP remove me, asks Ajit Pawar
Ajit Pawar, who shocked his party and family after joining hands with the BJP, has said what he did could not be termed a revolt.
He also reiterated that he continues to be with the NCP and would abide by whatever party chief Sharad Pawar says.
“It was not a revolt. I was the leader of NCP. Did NCP remove me? Did you read (about my removal from NCP) somewhere?” Mr. Ajit Pawar told reporters. “I have been telling all that I was in the NCP, I am in NCP and will be in NCP,” he said.
Will speak about Ajit Pawar’s support at the right time: Fadnavis
Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said he will speak at the “right time” about the support extended by Ajit Pawar.
“I will speak about it at the right time,” Mr. Fadnavis said when asked by reporters on the Vidhan Bhavan premises about the support extended by Mr. Ajit Pawar.
It seems we have scrapped corruption allegations against Ajit Pawar: Eknath Khadse
Senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse has said the BJP could have won 20 to 25 seats more in the Assembly polls, if he and some other party leaders were actively involved in the election campaign.
The former Revenue Minister, who resigned in 2016 over allegations of corruption, said leaders like him, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Vinod Tawde and some others were “deliberately kept out” of the election campaign.
“This decision cost the party dearly. Had we been involved in a better way, the BJP could have won at least 20 to 25 seats more,” he claimed while talking to reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan premises. “We raised this issue with our senior leaders earlier also,” he said.
When pointed out that the BJP earlier claimed to have proof of alleged corruption against Ajit Pawar but recently tied-up with him to form government in Maharashtra, Mr. Khadse said, “It seems we have dumped it (proof documents) in scrap.”
HC raises security concern over swearing-in ceremony at Shivaji Park
The Bombay High Court raised security concerns over the swearing-in ceremony of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister at Shivaji Park, and said holding such functions at a public ground should not become a regular feature.
Henceforth, everyone will want to use the ground for such ceremonies, a division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and R I Chagla said.
“We do not want to say anything about tomorrow’s ceremony...we are only praying that nothing untoward happens,” the court said while hearing a plea of NGO Wecom Trust on whether the Shivaji Park was a playground or a recreation ground.
Former Minister Eknath Khadse has said the BJP shouldn't have taken the support of NCP leader Ajit Pawar. He quickly added it was his "personal opinion".
"It is my personal opinion the party should not have taken support of Mr Ajit Pawar. Without him, we would have won 25 seats additional to our own numbers," Mr. Khadse said.
Ajit Pawar attends NCP meet
NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who joined hands with the BJP last week to form government in Maharashtra but quit it later, attended a meeting of his party MLAs here on Wednesday.
The meeting is being held at the Y.B. Chavan Centre, ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray as the next chief minister of the state.
Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil, and senior party leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil were also present in the meeting.
Will be fun working with Rohit, Zeeshan: Aditya Thackeray
Shiv Sena Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray who took oath as a legislator today thanked the people of Maharashtra. "It will be fun to work with other young MLAs like Rohit Pawar, Zeeshan Siddiqui. I thank our allies. Ministries will be decided by seniors, whatever work I am given, I will do it for the good of Maharashtra," he says.
Was sure of Ajit’s return, family stands united: Rohit Pawar
NCP MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday said he was sure his uncle Ajit Pawar would return to the party and felt happy after the latter met party chief Sharad Pawar.
He also said that the Pawars “stand united” and will remain so.
Ajit Pawar called on his uncle and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar late Tuesday night, after first having joined hands with the BJP to form government in Maharashtra and then quitting it.
“I could not trust how it happened. As a worker, I did not go into the details of it. There was some confusion being a family member, I could not understand what was happening,” Rohit Pawar, who is the grandson of Sharad Pawar’s elder brother Appasaheb Pawar, told a news channel.
He made the remarks when asked about what he felt when Ajit Pawar took oath as deputy chief minister after tying up with the BJP last Saturday.
“But we were sure (about his return). We knew Dada well,” Rohit Pawar said.
I never left NCP, says Ajit Pawar
NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who last week supported the BJP to form a short-lived government in Maharashtra, on Wednesday said he continues to be in his party and that there is no reason “to create” confusion about it.
“I have nothing to say (right now), I will speak at the right time. I had said earlier also, I am in the NCP and I will remain in the NCP. There is no reason to create confusion,” Mr. Pawar told reporters in Mumbai
On his late Tuesday night visit to Silver Oak , his uncle and NCP president Sharad Pawar’s residence, Mr. Pawar said, “It is my right to meet my leader.”
As Mr. Pawar entered the Vidhan Bhavan premises on Wednesday morning, his cousin and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule greeted him with a warm hug.
Ajit Pawar revolted against the party to back a BJP government led by Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday.
Portfolio allocation to decided in 2 days: Maharashtra Congress chief
Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat on Wednesday said the sharing of portfolios among the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in the next state government will be finalised in a couple of days.
The ‘Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi’, comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress along with some small parties and Independents, has decided to stake claim for government formation in the state after the BJP-led government collapsed on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after taking oath as member of the 14th state Assembly on Wednesday, Thorat, the Congress Legislature Party leader in the House, said, “The ratio of portfolio-sharing will be finalised in next two days. The number of Cabinet and Minister of State (MoS) posts to be given to each party will also be finalised in next two days.”
Uddhav meets Governor
Maharashtra CM-designate and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Thackeray, to be sworn-in as CM on Thursday, was accompanied by wife Rashmi, says an official.
'Assembly will come into motion without a head and the Cabinet'
State Vidhan Bhawan’s in-charge secretary Rajendra Bhagawat says that during the last couple of decades, the Chief Minister was sworn in first followed by other members.
“The floor test is also then conducted immediately or in the following session. In the present case, no chief minister has been administered oath, but the swearing-in ceremony of House members is being held.”
“The Supreme Court’s interim verdict has made it mandatory for us to carry out the swearing-in ceremony. Once the oath is administered to all MLAs, the Assembly will come into motion without a head and the Cabinet,” he says.
Fadnavis takes oath
Names of the members are being called out on basis of seniority. Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis takes oath.
This day comes with a big responsibility: Supriya Sule
NCP MP Supriya Sule greets Ajit Pawar, party MLA Rohit Pawar at Vidhan Bhawan entrance. Speaking to reporters, Ms. Sule said "This day comes with a big responsibility."
Ajit Pawar, Ashok Chavan take oath
Nationalist Congress party's Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal and Congress' Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan among those administered oath as MLAs.
Maharashtra Assembly session begins
Pro tem Speaker Kalidas Kolambkar starts administering oath to members in the 288-member House.
Kin and party kept up pressure on Ajit Pawar
NCP president Sharad Pawar kept the dialogue going with Ajit Pawar by making party leaders visit him, and with emotional appeals by family members and insulating party MLAs from horse-trading, the uncle got the nephew to resign as Deputy Chief Minister, leading to the fall of the four-day-old Devendra Fadnavis government.
Despite his rebellion and swearing-in on Saturday, Mr. Ajit Pawar was neither thrown out of the party nor was State unit president Jayant Patil appointed the full-time legislature party leader.
Uddhav Thackeray to be sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister on November 28
Leaders of the Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress met Maharahstra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari late on Tuesday to stake claim to form the next government, with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as Chief Minister.
The swearing in ceremony of the new government will take place at 5.30 p.m. on November 28 at the Shivaji Park stadium, where the Sena party holds it annual Dussehra rally. The MLAs will be sworn in on Wednesday.
Devendra Fadnavis’ three-day stint as Chief Minister one of the shortest
Devendra Fadnavis’ second tenure as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra has turned out to be one of the shortest in Indian history. He holds the distinction of being a ‘three-day CM’ along with his Karnataka counterpart B.S. Yediyurappa.
Mr. Fadnavis tendered his resignation on Tuesday evening, hours after the Supreme Court asked the BJP government to prove its majority in Maharashtra Assembly tomorrow. Mr. Fadnavis failed to reach the magic figure of 145 — the number of MLAs required to support him to win the confidence motion.
Devendra Fadnavis quits after Ajit Pawar’s resignation citing personal reasons
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis resigned on November 26, barely 80 hours after taking oath for the second time , the move necessitated by his deputy Ajit Pawar’s resignation citing “personal reasons”.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Mr. Fadnavis said his Mr. Ajit Pawar had tendered his resignation earlier in the day.
“After Mr. Pawar’s resignation we don’t have the majority. We will not do any horse-trading,” Mr. Fadnavis said, adding that he would be meeting Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari to submit his resignation.
(With inputs from our Correspondents, PTI)