The Centre must produce the letters of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claiming majority and that of the Governor inviting to form a government, the Supreme Court said today. In an extraordinary hearing on Sunday, a three-judge bench also issued a notice to Mr Fadnavis, his deputy Ajit Pawar, the state and the Central government. The Centre has to produce the letters in court by 10.30 am tomorrow. The order has bypassed the Shiv Sena, Congress and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party's demand that the BJP be asked to take a test of strength on the floor of the Maharashtra assembly within 24 hours, as happened in Karnataka.
The BJP on Saturday made a stunning comeback in Maharashtra, with some deft political maneuvering that saw Nationalist Congress Party's Ajit Pawar changing sides. The Shiv Sena, Congress and Ajit Pawar's uncle and Nationalist Congress chief Sharad Pawar busy cobbling up an alliance, appeared shell-shocked as the country woke to the news that Devendra Fadnavis has taken oath as the Maharashtra Chief Minister with Ajit Pawar - whom he repeatedly accused of corruption - as his deputy. What followed were hectic meetings and claim from Sharad Pawar that his nephew acted on his own, misled the Governor and doesn't have the numbers. A number of MLAs who attended the oath ceremony, turned up at the NCP office soon after, indicating that the party chief was right.
Here are the Highlights on Maharashtra government formation:
Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar leaves from his residence. pic.twitter.com/QM81thDrh0
- ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2019
With Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray), Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) Ji and Rohit Pawar (@RohitPawarOffic) pic.twitter.com/M1MQwk9ylz
- Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) November 24, 2019
Thank you for your warm wishes and show of faith @PiyushGoyal ji. https://t.co/gm1FzckOjE
- Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) November 24, 2019
#MahaStrength https://t.co/iqipCHXr9k
- Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) November 24, 2019
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP State President Chandrakant Patil, and other party leaders at meeting of the legislators of the party. pic.twitter.com/ZDrnq4nCCE
- ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2019
BJP leaders arrive for a meeting of the legislators of the party, in Mumbai.
Maharashtra: BJP leaders arrive for a meeting of the legislators of the party, in Mumbai. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/TdflQIte7W
- ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2019
Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted saying "Allow us to spend Sunday in peace."
'Allow us to spend Sunday in peace' will find the same place in historical records as 'Let them eat cake' or 'Nero Fiddling when Rome burning'.
- Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) November 24, 2019
Just saying.
Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar leaves from his residence to meet NCP MLAs at Renaissance Hotel. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/6rXmcnNOgt
- ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2019
Sanjay Jha on today Supreme Court order
This Sunday humour in brief:
- Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) November 24, 2019
1) Government sworn in at dawn
2) President' s rule revoked at 5.47 am
3) PM tweets within an hour of swearing in
BUT :
Give us 3 days to produce the letters from Fadnavis to Governor and back.
The #BJP is a farce. This is political suicide.
Supreme Court directs Maharashtra BJP to produce Governor's letter inviting BJP to form a government by tomorrow morning.
We request Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to produce letters of Governor by tomorrow morning 10:30, says Supreme Court.
Mukul Rohatgi: Two or three days time must be given. No tearing hurry. If they had support they should have formed the governemnt in 17 days. Governor action is immune and he must be satisfied. There are some aspects of individual discretion of President or Governor. Here Governor decision can't be under judicial review. The petition is directed against the Governor. There is complete bar on any action against Governor. Mukul / what Governor did is immune to judicial review.
"Governor's action not only bizarre, but also appears that he was acting under direct instructions. if they believe they have the confidence of the House, then they should be asked to hold floor test today itself," Kapil Sibal said.
The bench of Justices Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna has assembled in the court as the hearing begins.
Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, NCP leader and lawyer Majeed Memon, Kapil Sibal arrive for the hearing at the Supreme Court. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is also present at the Court.
NCP MLA Dilip Walse Patil reaches Maharashtra Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's residence to meet him.
#Maharashtra #MaharashtraPolitics #MaharastraPoliticalCrisis #ShivaSena pic.twitter.com/Hf5232gIjf
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 24, 2019
NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said," 49-50 MLAs of the party are with us right now, 1-2 are coming too. All the MLAs have been kept together. NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena government will be formed in Maharashtra, 100%."
Chhagan Bhujbal, NCP: 49-50 MLAs of the party are with us right now, 1-2 are coming too. All the MLAs have been kept together here. NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena government will be formed in Maharashtra, 100%. pic.twitter.com/q3WLLdMqxA
- ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2019
In another Whatsapp status, NCP's Sharad Pawar daughter Supriya Sule said, Good morning.... values will eventually win...honesty and hard work never goes waste...that path is harder but sustains long term."
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Baban Shinde arrives at NCP Chief Sharad Pawar's residence in Mumbai. He did not attend the NCP Legislative Party Meeting yesterday.
Maharashtra: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Baban Shinde arrives at NCP Chief Sharad Pawar's residence in Mumbai. He did not attend the NCP Legislative Party Meeting yesterday. pic.twitter.com/7jYizGwnay
- ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2019
- Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) November 24, 2019