Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress Stake Claim To Form Govt In Maharashtra, Submit Formal Letter To Governor

The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance staked claim to form government in Maharashtra on Monday. The development comes amid the even as the Supreme Court continues to hear the alliance’s plea against Devendra Fadnavis’ shocking swearing-in on Saturday. The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have submitted the formal letter to Governor. The letter by Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena given at Raj Bhawan staking claim to form government says the present government doesn't have the numbers.

Letter by Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena given at Raj Bhawan staking claim to form government, saying that the present government doesn't have the numbers.#MaharashtraCrisis#MaharashtraPolitics#MaharashtraGovtFormation

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Meanwhile, maintaining that the BJP had the support of all 54 NCP MLAs to form a government in Maharashtra, the Centre on Monday asked the Supreme Court for two to three days to file a reply to the plea against the governor's decision to invite Devendra Fadnavis to become chief minister. The Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP has filed a plea against Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari's decision to swear in BJP leader Fadnavis as chief minister and NCP's Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister.

The Centre told a bench comprising Justices N V Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna  that the governor had in absolute discretion invited  the largest party to form government on November 23.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the top court the Maharashtra governor is not supposed to conduct a roving and fishing inquiry to ascertain which party has numbers to form government.

The question is, he said, can a party come and seek the court's intervention to hold floor test within 24 hours.

Mehta said the governor was cognizant of the facts and the situation after poll results that had led to President's rule being invoked in the state.

The apex court, after perusing Koshiyari's letter inviting Fadnavis, said it has to be decided whether or not the chief minister enjoys support on the floor of house. The solicitor general explained that the governor had invited Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP for government formation and President's rule was imposed only after they failed.

(With agency inputs)