• India
  • Nov 09

Fadnavis resigns as Maharashtra CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis resigned on November 8, blaming ally Shiv Sena for the impasse over government formation after the Assembly polls.

The resignation came a day before the expiry of the 13th Legislative Assembly of the state.

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has asked Fadnavis to continue as “acting” chief minister till alternative arrangements - new government or President’s rule - are in place.

The BJP and Shiv Sena are locked in a tussle over the chief minister’s post, despite the poll results giving the alliance a combined seat strength of 161, way past the 145 majority mark in the 288-member House.

In the polls, the BJP won 105 seats, followed by Shiv Sena (56), NCP (54) and the Congress (44).

All eyes are now on the governor on his next course of action that could also include calling the BJP, the single largest party, to form the government. On refusal, the second largest party could be invited. The other option is, the governor may submit report to the Centre recommending President’s rule.

Previous instances of President’s rule

Article 356 of the Constitution empowers the President to withdraw from the Union the executive and legislative powers of any state “if he is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution”.

In February 1980, the Sharad Pawar government was dismissed and President’s rule was imposed in Maharashtra. Pawar had broke away from Congress and formed the Progressive Democratic Front government with the Janata Party’s support. Elections were called, and the Congress, with 186 seats out of 288, was back in power.

In September 2014, President’s rule was imposed in Maharashtra after chief minister Prithviraj Chavan resigned following the break-up of the 15-year-old Congress-NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) alliance in the state.

President Pranab Mukherjee signed the proclamation for imposition of central rule, a day after the Union cabinet recommended clamping of President’s rule in the state.

The row over CM post

The three-decade-old alliance between the BJP and its oldest ally Shiv Sena appeared to be on shaky ground after Fadnavis and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray were engaged in a bitter public showdown over sharing the CM’s post.

Fadnavis expressed confidence that the BJP will form the government, and hit out at the Sena for talking with the Congress and NCP but not with the BJP after the results came out on October 24.

Fadnavis blamed the Sena for rebuffing all attempts to form an alliance government and insisted no decision was taken in his presence on sharing the chief ministership, while Thackeray claimed the BJP had agreed to share the post during his talks with its chief Amit Shah before the Lok Sabha polls. Thackeray also indicated that all options are open for his party in the formation of next government.

Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari also threw his weight behind Fadnavis, saying there was no deal between his party and the Sena over equal distribution of portfolios, including sharing the post of chief minister.

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar asserted that his party and Congress will work as a responsible Opposition.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store

Notes