The Supreme Court (SC) is currently hearing a petition filed by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP,) the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Shiv Sena. The petition claims the BJP does not have the number of MLAs required to form the State Government.
On the 23rd of November, around 8:00 A.M., Devendra Fadnavis, a member of the BJP and Ajit Pawar of the NCP took oath as the Chief Minister (CM) and the Deputy CM of Maharashtra, respectively.
However, Sharad Pawar, the President of the NCP, said he did not know about Ajit Pawar’s plan and denied having anything to do with the alliance of the NCP and the BJP.
On the 24th of November, the NCP approached the SC and said Ajit Pawar misled the BJP as the NCP MLAs are not in support of the BJP and the BJP does not have the required majority. On the other hand, the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the INC together crossed the majority to form the Government, which is 145. Together, the three parties have a total of 154 MLAs.
In the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Shiv Sena won 54 Assembly seats, the INC won 44 Assembly seats and the NCP won 56 Assembly seats.
The SC, ahead of the hearing, asked the BJP to present Devendra Fadnavis’ letter claiming the Party has the required majority. The Apex Court also asked for the letter Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the Governor of Maharashtra, gave to the BJP’s Fadnavis, inviting the Party to form the Government.
Speaking about the current scenario, Nawab Malik of the NCP said so far, 54 MLAs of the NCP returned to the Party and are ready to support the Aghadi, the alliance of the NCP, the Shiv Sena and the INC.
Meanwhile, senior leaders of the NCP are in touch with two other MLAs who are expected to join the Party soon.
After today’s hearing, the SC would decide about the floor test, which would clarify which Party would come to power by forming the Maharashtra Government.
The SC hearing started at 10:35 A.M., and is underway.
Stay tuned for further updates.
