Maharashtra: NCP 'Brings Back' 2 'Missing' MLAs To Mumbai, Claims Support Of 53 Lawmakers

In yet another twist in the ongoing political drama in Maharashtra, two of the 54 NCP lawmakers were ‘brought back’ from Delhi to Mumbai in early morning hours on Monday. Aroudn 50 lawmakers are already camping in Hyatt Mumbai. NCP MLAs Daulat Daroda and Anil Patil were flown in from Delhi to Mumbai. A ‘missing’ complaint was filed against them after the chaotic events of Saturday. Reportedly, both are back in fold and have pledged their support for Sharad Pawar. With this, the NCP claims that 53 out of 54 MLAs are supporting Sharad Pawar.

In other related development, Chhagan Bhujbal will try to meet Ajit Pawar at 9 am today. It is being seen as last ditch to convince Ajit Pawar to come back to Sharad Pawar. Meanwhile, NCP leader Nawab Malik has said, “52 MLAs of the party have come back to us, one more is in touch with us.” If this is true than that leaves Ajit Pawar as sole rebel.

After remaining ensconced in his south Mumbai residence throughout Sunday, NCP leader and newly anointed deputy CM Ajit Pawar met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis late night and held closed-door discussions.

Earlier in the day, the supreme court issued notices to the Centre, Maharashtra government, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar on a plea filed by the Congress-Shiv Sena-NCP combine seeking quashing of the governor's November 23 order inviting the BJP leader to form government.

Senior BJP leaders Chandrakant Patil, Vinod Tawade and Girish Mahajan attended the meeting held at the official residence of the chief minister, the party sources said.

The apex court directed the Centre to place before it on Monday morning the letters of the governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari inviting Fadnavis and of the BJP leader staking his claim to form the government in the state.

Earlier in the day, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar hit out at nephew Ajit saying there is no question of supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party to form government in Maharashtra. He also termed Ajit’s statement false, misleading and aimed at creating confusion.

“There is no question of forming an alliance with @BJP4Maharashtra. NCP has unanimously decided to ally with @ShivSena & @INCMaharashtra to form the government,” Pawar tweeted. "Shri Ajit Pawars statement is false and misleading in order to create confusion and false perception among the people (sic)," he added.

The NCP chief said this while reacting to his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s tweets that he was still with NCP and that the "BJP-NCP alliance" would provide a stable government in the state.