E-Paper
‘Move came from Ajit Pawar-led NCP group’: Rajnath on Maharashtra stunner
The President’s rule in Maharashtra was revoked by President Ram Nath Kovind in the early hours of Saturday after which Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister with Ajit as deputy chief minister.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday denied that the midnight ‘coup’ in Maharashtra was done at BJP’s behest and said the developments merely showed that the elected lawmakers in the state were anxious to form a stable government.
Rajnath’s comments came after the high voltage midnight drama in Maharashtra, where Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) lawmakers led by NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar, dramatically extended support to the BJP, paving the way for the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government.
“I think the BJP didn’t initiate it. The initiative came from them (Ajit Pawar-led NCP group) and naturally after they extended support, the governor must have assessed if a stable government can be formed, and subsequently invited them to form the government,” said Rajnath.
“I think it’s the governor’s prerogative (on who he invites to form the government),” said Rajnath.
Rajnath, who is on a three-day visit to Lucknow, his Lok Sabha constituency, was speaking to media persons on the penultimate day of his visit.
The President’s rule in Maharashtra was revoked by President Ram Nath Kovind in the early hours of Saturday after which Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister with Ajit as deputy chief minister.
The fast paced developments in Maharashtra politics stunned the two other key players –Shiv Sena and Congress – and divided the NCP, with Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray still claiming that they have the lawmakers to form a government.
However, Rajnath claimed that the governor must have been convinced that BJP-led dispensation have enough support. “That is the reason why Devendra Fadnavis government was formed in the state. Ultimately a stable and democratically elected government will benefit the state,” he said.
No party had got a majority in Maharashtra, with BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 105 MLAs, followed by Shiv Sena’s 56. Though BJP and Shiv Sena fought the elections together, post results Sena’s insistence on a 50:50 chief ministership formula was rejected by the BJP leadership, plunging the state into political turmoil.
