Maharashtra Political Crisis: Shinde takes oath as CM, Fadnavis as Deputy CM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis on taking as Maharashtra chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively on Thursday. PM Modi expressed confidence that they will take the state of Maharashtra to greater heights.

"I would like to congratulate Shri Eknath Shinde on taking oath as Maharashtra CM. A grassroots level leader, he brings with him rich political, legislative and administrative experience. I am confident that he will work towards taking Maharashtra to greater heights," PM Modi said in tweets soon after they were sworn in.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office to Eknath Sambhaji Shinde as the 20th Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as the Deputy CM on Thursday evening.

This comes after Eknath Shinde led a revolt against Shiv Sena leading to the collapse of the 31-month-old Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. The oath-taking ceremony comes a day after former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray resigned his post .

Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde left Goa for Mumbai amid tight security on Thursday afternoon while other MLAs continued to be at the resort. Shinde is scheduled to meet Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

On Wednesday night, Shinde and other rebel MLAs arrived in Goa from Guwahati and stayed at a resort at Dona Paula.
 

As per the Governor`s orders, all Maharashtra state MLAs have been informed by Assembly Secretary Rajendra Bhagwat that the special session that was scheduled on Thursday will not be held anymore.

The special Assembly was scheduled with an intention of a Trust Vote against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray who resigned as chief minister last evening.

With Uddhav Thackeray resigning as chief minister, the BJP-led government is set to return to Maharasthra. The BJP being the single-largest party with 106 MLAs, is most likely to stake claim to form the government. 

Devendra Fadnavis, the opposition leader, is set to stake claim the Chief Minister`s post for the third time.

BJP officials rejoiced at Uddhav Thackeray's resignation and handed out sweets. Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP is slated to brief the media later on Thursday to discuss the future course of action, which would include staking a claim to form the next government. Fadnavis previously served as chief minister from 2014 to 2019. Eknath Shinde and the rebel Sena MLAs are currently staying in a five-star hotel in Goa after spending more than a week at upscale resorts in Surat and Guwahati. They are anticipated to shortly fly back to Mumbai. If the Shinde-led faction will combine with another party is not yet known. Shinde reaffirmed on Wednesday night that they are Shiv Sainiks and will continue to be in the Shiv Sena.

Uddhav Thackeray's resignation as chief minister shortly after the Supreme Court's decision to not delay the floor test ordered by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari during a special Assembly session on Thursday has set the way for the return of a BJP-led administration in Maharashtra. The BJP, which has 106 MLAs and is the only party with representation in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, is likely to lay claim to forming the government. Devendra Fadnavis, who now serves as the Leader of the Opposition, plans to run for Chief Minister a third time. The party's top brass were met twice in a week by Fadnavis in Delhi, and he stated that the next step would be revealed today.

Former Maharashtra CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis along with state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil and other party leaders at Taj President hotel in Mumbai for a legislative meeting. 

Uddhav Thackeray announces his resignation from MLC post too.

"I had come (to power) in an unexpected manner and I am going out in a similar fashion. I am not going away forever, I will be here, and I will once again sit in Shiv Sena Bhawan. I will gather all my people. I am resigning as the CM and as an MLC," he said. 

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray announces resignation. 

"I am resigning as the Chief Minister," he said. 

He said, "I am satisfied that we have officially renamed Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv - the cities named by Balasaheb Thackeray." 

"I want to express my gratitude to the people of NCP and Congress that they supported me. From Shiv Sena, Anil Parab, Subhash Desai and Aaditya Thackeray, these people were only present when the proposal was passed while NCP and Cong people also supported the proposal," he added. 

Supreme Court allows jailed NCP leaders Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh to participate in the proceedings of the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly tomorrow. 

Since Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh are in judicial custody of the Enforcement Directorate and CBI, both agencies are directed to escort them to the Assembly to participate in the floor test and bring them back to judicial custody. 

Supreme Court issues notice on Shiv Sena Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu's plea and says that tomorrow's floor test will be subject to the outcome of the present petition.

Court to hear his plea on July 11th. 

Supreme Court gives go-ahead to the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly tomorrow; says we are not staying tomorrow's floor test. 

Shiv Sena rebel MLA Eknath Shinde told the Supreme Court that the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction is in a "hopeless minority" within the party and a floor test in the Assembly is the best way to stop horse-trading, PTI reported.

Shinde's counsel told the bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala that any delay in the floor test would cause more damage to the democratic polity.

PTI quoted Senior advocate N K Kaul, appearing for Shinde who argued that the pendency of disqualification proceedings before the speaker is no ground to delay the floor test.

Mumbai Police have stepped up security near Vidhan Bhavan ahead of the floor test scheduled for Thursday and also for the arrival of rebel MLAs of Shiv Sena at the airport, PTI reported quoting an official on Wednesday.

Section 144 of the CrPC has also been imposed by the police banning the assembly of five or more persons. Nobody will be allowed to gather near the Vidhan Bhavan and surrounding areas in south Mumbai.

Stationed in a Guwahati hotel, the Eknath Shinde camp, supposed to leave the city and reach Goa by this evening has rescheduled its departure due to the Supreme Court hearing a plea at 5 pm filed by Shiv Sena challenging Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari`s notification to conduct a Floor test tomorrow, reported PTI.

The rebel MLAs who were scheduled to reach Goa by the evening, will now be departing from Guwahati at around 7 pm.

The rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, who have been camping here for last one week, are likely to leave for Goa this afternoon, en route Mumbai.

A SpiceJet aircraft has been hired and the flight is expected to leave Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport for Goa's Dabolim airport at around 3 pm, sources privy to the development told PTI.

The 39 rebel Shiva Sena MLAs and some independent MLAs are going to travel together in one aircraft to Goa and from there they are likely to travel to Mumbai.

The development came a day after Maharashtra's opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in Mumbai, requesting him to ask Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to prove majority on the floor of the Assembly.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear at 5 pm a plea of Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu challenging the Maharashtra Governor's direction to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to take floor test in the Assembly on Thursday.

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala took note of submissions of senior advocate A M Singhvi that an urgent hearing was needed in view of the decision taken by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari asking the MVA government to prove majority at 11 am on Thursday.

'Unlawful', says Shiv Sena''s Sanjay Raut after Maharashtra Governor orders floor test

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday termed as "unlawful" the Maharashtra Governor`s order calling for a floor test of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra and said the ruling coalition of Sena, NCP and Congress, will approach the Supreme Court and seek justice on this issue.

The remarks of the Shiv Sena leader come after the Governor ordered a floor test to be held in the Maharashtra Assembly on June 30 stating that the "present political scenario" unfolding in the state painted a "very disturbing picture."Speaking to media persons here, Raut said, "It`s called Jet speed. The Governor was waiting for this moment only. We will go to the Supreme Court (against the Maharashtra Governor`s decision to call for a floor test).