Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress Formally File Petition In Top Court Against Maharashtra Govt Formation

The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine on Saturday night filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the Maharashtra governor's decision to swear-in BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister and demanded an immediate floor test to avoid "further horse trading".

The three parties also sought a direction to the governor to invite them to form government under the leadership of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray saying they have the support of more than 144 MLAs.

The petitioners alleged that the governor has acted in a "partisan manner" and has allowed himself to be a "pawn in the BJP's illegal usurpation of power".

The parties further prayed for an "immediate floor test within 24 hours so as to avoid further horse trading and illegal maneuvers to somehow cobble up a majority from the MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi)".

Their lawyer Sunil Fernandes said the petition has been filed with registry and a formal listing of the plea for hearing is awaited.

"Our 44 MLAs are intact. The Maharashtra Governor has bypassed all norms. Without any verification, he invited the BJP to form the government. We have moved the Supreme Court. We will also raise this issue in Parliament," Congress leader KC Venugopal said.

"In our petition, we requested the SC for an urgent direction for a floor test to be held tomorrow itself. We are hopeful the Supreme Court will hear us. Our petition has been numbered," senior advocate Devadutt Kamat for the Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena said.