Celebrations started in the BJP camp Wednesday evening as Uddhav Thackeray stepped down from the Maharashtra Chief Minister's post. BJP leaders were seen distributing sweets, shouting slogans at Mumbai's Taj hotel. At the centre of it all was Devendra Fadnavis, who met the Governor Tuesday evening and set off the end game.
Indicating that decks are being cleared for a change of guard, the Maharashtra BJP tweeted a video clip of a speech in Marathi by Mr Fadnavis. The accompanying caption, also in in Marathi, read, "I will come again. For the creation of a new Maharashtra! Jai Maharashtra".
"We will tell you everything tomorrow," Mr Fadnavis told reporters on Wednesday."End of one of the darkest period of administration for Maharashtra. Along with ideological bankruptcy, unparalleled corruption, destruction of administrative apparatus, halting a vibrant economic environment the period also saw the new low of major section of media," tweeted senior BJP leader BL Santhosh.
Mr Thackeray stepped down from the top post, shortly after the Supreme Court ruled that his government has to take a floor test at 11 am on Thursday as ordered by the Governor. The Team Thackeray, reduced to just about 15 MLAs, had asked the court to stop the floor test called today.
With his resignation, the floor test is now void. Mr Fadnavis is likely to stake claim to form government, sources said. Rebel leader Eknath Shinde, whose move to walk out with a chunk of MLAs set off the downward spiral for the alliance government led by the Shiv Sena, is likely to be his deputy.
There was a buzz earlier that a negative response from the top court may push Mr Thackeray to resign. The speculation was fed in part by the cabinet meeting held this evening where the government renamed three cities and Mr Thackeray formally thanked the ministers for their help and cooperation.
"I am resigning as the Chief Minister. I don't want a hand in the blood of Shiv Sainiks that may be spilled tomorrow," Mr Thackeray said the Facebook live address this evening where he announced his resignation. "Those whom we promoted and built up, they are the ones who have betrayed us," he added in a direct hit at the rebels.
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