Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress stake claim

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Nov 25, 2019: The Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress staked claim to power in Maharashtra after submitting letters of support to the Governor. The NCP, whose Ajit Pawar claims the party is with the BJP, submitted the signatures of 51 of its 54 MLAs, NDTV reported.

 

The three parties claim the support of enough MLAs for a majority in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly.

The Shiv Sena has 63 MLAs, the Congress 44, the NCP 51 and a fourth party, Samajwadi Party, has also submitted signatures of two.

Their move came two days after the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis took power in an early morning oath ceremony with Ajit Pawar of the NCP as his deputy. The sudden government formation has been described as unconstitutional and challenged by the Sena-NCP-Congress in the Supreme Court.

The BJP has told the Supreme Court that it has the support of 170 MLAs, including all 54 of the NCP.

Ajit Pawar’s uncle Sharad Pawar, the chief of the NCP, however, says more than 50 MLAs are with the party. He alleges that Ajit Pawar tricked the Governor with letters of support collected from MLAs for the Sena-led alliance.