‘Today is the death anniversary of 3-day govt formed last year’: Sena’s dig at BJP

Reminding people of the dramatic oath-taking ceremony of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Devendra Fadnavis as the chief minister on November 23 last year, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said the day marks the death anniversary of a “three-day government.” Raut’s comment was a jibe at the surprise early morning swearing-in by Fadnavis. The short-lived government was formed with the support of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, who also took oath as the deputy chief minister at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai early on November 23.

Raut assured that their Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will last for the entire term. “Our government will complete four years. Opposition leaders say such things in frustration as all their efforts have failed. They know very well that people of Maharashtra are with this govt,” the Sena leader was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Raut’s remark came a day after senior BJP leader and Union minister Raosaheb Danve said his party will form a government in Maharashtra in the next two to three months. Former Maharashtra chief minister and Leader of Opposition Fadnavis also told reporters on Monday that the next BJP government’s swearing-in ceremony in the state will be held at an appropriate hour instead of dawn. “We will form a government after the existing Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government falls. The swearing-in will be at the appropriate hour. It will not take place at dawn. But such incidents need not be remembered,” he said.

Last year, the government formed by the BJP with Ajit Pawar’s backing lasted for only 80 hours with the NCP leader tendering his resignation as the deputy CM, paving the way for the Shiv Sena alliance with the NCP and the Congress to assume office. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the chief minister of the MVA government on November 28 and Pawar became his deputy.

The BJP had won the maximum 105 seats in the Maharashtra assembly elections held last year, followed by the Shiv Sena which bagged 56 seats. The NCP had won 54 seats and the Congress 44.

(With agency inputs)