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Ajit Pawar says 'no threat to Shinde-Fadnavis govt' ahead of SC verdict
Hours before the Supreme Court's verdict, Ajit Pawar said as long as the government has the support of the 145 MLAs, there is no threat.
Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Thursday sounded confident as he said there is no threat to the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government at a time when the unanimous verdict of the Supreme Court Constitution Bench in the Uddhav versus Shinde case was awaited. Suspense over Maharashtra's political situation refused to die down as Ajit Pawar struck a different chord from his Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance partners and said, "Many call this government unconstitutional. But as long as they have the support of 145 MLAs, there is no danger. The comment triggered speculation about whether Ajit Pawar is still in touch with the BJP and in case the MLAs who joined the Shinde camp last year are disqualified whether Ajit Pawar and his MLAs will extend support to the Shinde-Fadnavis government.
Uddhav vs Shinde Supreme Court verdict today: What's at stake? 10 points
ED summons Jayant Patil
Ahead of the Supreme Court verdict, the ED summoned NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Jayant Patil in connection with a money laundering case. Maharashtra minister Uday Samant said the ED notice coming to Jayant Patil on the day of the Supreme Court verdict is merely a coincidence.
The issue has been going on since June 2022 when Eknath Shinde announced a rebellion with the support of some MLAs and on the floor test order of then-governor BS Koshyari, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government collapsed making way for Shinde to take oath as the chief minister.
Uddhav faction challenged the validity of the government and if the verdict is in favour of Uddhav Thackeray, Eknath Shinde may have to resign in case his MLAs are disqualified. But Ajit Pawar's confidence in the stability of the incumbent government confirms there can be more than one possibility after the Supreme Court verdict.
