MLAs May Leave For Jaipur To Escape Poaching: Maharashtra Congress Leader

With Maharashtra in a political bind after the BJP today made a stunning comeback, with some deft political maneuvering that saw Nationalist Congress Party's Ajit Pawar changing sides, MLAs of the ally Congress are likely to fly to Jaipur on Sunday to ward off any poaching bid, a party leader said today.

Ajit Pawar, nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, joined hands with the BJP and took oath as deputy chief minister at Raj Bhavan while Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister for a second term.

Later in the night, Ajit Pawar was sacked as the legislative party leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which had won 54 seats in the assembly polls held in October.

The Congress, the NCP and the Shiv Sena had almost finalised formation of an alliance government when Ajit Pawar made the stunning political move.

"We may go to Jaipur tomorrow. We will be there until the special session of the state Legislative Assembly is convened for newly-elected MLAs to take oath, election of Speaker and trust vote," Congress MLA Nana Patole said.

In the 288-member Assembly, the BJP has 105 MLAs, the Sena 56 and the Congress 44.

Mr Patole said all the MLAs of the Congress are together and won't split.

He said though more than 12 hours have passed since Mr Fadnavis sworn in as the new CM neither the Cabinet meeting was convened nor the special session of the state Legislative assembly was announced.

Mr Patole termed Saturday as a "black day" in the state's history.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray met with MLAs of his party at a suburban five-star hotel and discussed the unfolding political scenario.