BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis resigned today as Maharashtra Chief Minister. His resignation comes a day before the Supreme Court asked the newly sworn in chief minister to prove the majority on the floor of the assembly. Devendra Fadnavis’ resignation follows NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s resignation from his post.
While addressing the media, Fadnavis said, that the mandate was for the BJP and Shiv Sena in the recently concluded state assembly elections. He said that Shiv Sena had earlier agreed to go with whoever is selected as the chief minister. However, they later on backtracked on their word. “BJP emerged as the single largest party and we had never promised a rotational chief minister for 2.5 years each to Shiv Sena,” Fadnavis said.
Taking on their pre-poll alliance partner Shiv Sena, Fadnavis said that they waited for the Shiv Sena. However, instead of responding, they went up to NCP and Congress to forge alliance. Taking a dig at Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray who was zeroed in as the CM candidate for Shiv Sena – NCP – Congress alliance, Fadnavis said, “People who never stepped outside Matoshree(Thackeray residence) to meet anyone were going door to door to make government with NCP and Congress.”
Fadnavis added that following the press briefing, he would go to the Raj Bhavan and tender his resignation as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Wishing the other parties good luck with formation of government, Fadnavis warned about the instability it may cause because of the difference in ideologies between them. “The hunger for power is such that now Shiv Sena leaders are even willing to ally with Sonia Gandhi,” he said.
Referring to the possible Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance government as ‘three-wheeler’ government, Fadnavis expressed doubts over its stability and said that the BJP will work as an effective opposition giving voice to the people of Maharashtra.
On Saturday, 23 November, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis had taken oath as the CM of Maharashtra in a surprise development. NCP’s Ajit Pawar had also taken oath as the Deputy CM, claiming the support of a faction of NCP MLAs.
A confusion has since broken out in the state, with the Sena claiming that Ajit had backstabbed them, and NCP claiming that no MLAs are in support of Ajit Pawar.