04 October,2023 06:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Devendra Fadnavis/ File Photo
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted on Wednesday that the President's Rule was imposed in Maharashtra in 2019 with the consent of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar, stated a report in PTI. Fadnavis made this statement in response to a question at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai regarding the timeline of his brief attempt to form a government in collaboration with the NCP.
In a surprising turn of events in Maharashtra's political landscape following the 2019 elections, then-Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office to Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister and Ajit Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister on November 23, 2019. However, this government fell after just about 72 hours.
Fadnavis explained, "Post the 2019 assembly elections, we were in discussions with Sharad Pawar regarding government formation. We had even finalized the allocation of portfolios and responsibilities for guardian ministers. But Pawar reversed his stance and withdrew from the agreement." He emphasized that the decision to impose the President's Rule in the state had been made with Sharad Pawar's consent.
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 105 out of 288 seats in the state, while the Shiv Sena, initially in alliance with the BJP, won 56 seats. However, the alliance ruptured due to disputes over power-sharing, particularly the Chief Minister's post.
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In the wake of the deadlock, the President's Rule was invoked in the state. According to the report, Fadnavis clarified, "The governor is obliged to inquire with every political party about their willingness to form a government. The NCP declined to do so, and a letter to this effect was drafted at my residence in Mumbai. Pawar suggested some modifications, which were incorporated before the letter was submitted." Fadnavis contended that Sharad Pawar's consent was sought before proceeding with the President's Rule.
"Pawar informed us that he needed more time to decide on an alliance with the BJP. He expressed his intention to tour the state and announce his decision to collaborate with the BJP after convincing the people. Pawar stated that he required a month for this," Fadnavis further revealed.
Following Sharad Pawar's reversal on forming a government with the BJP, his nephew and NCP leader, Ajit Pawar, attempted to establish a government with the BJP, Fadnavis was quoted as saying in a PTI report.
Later, Sharad Pawar declared that then-Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had been unanimously selected to lead an alliance comprising Sena, NCP, and Congress - the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) - which eventually formed the government.
The MVA government experienced a setback last year when Eknath Shinde, along with 39 Sena MLAs, allied with the BJP, with Fadnavis serving as his deputy. Ajit Pawar also parted ways with the NCP in July this year to join the ruling coalition.
