President's Rule in Maharashtra Was Revoked Hours Before Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar's Oath Taking Ceremony

Mumbai, November 23: A few hours before Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Chief Minister of Maharashtra, President Ram Nath Kovind had revoked President's rule in the state. A notification revoking President's rule was issued around 5:45 am on Saturday, while the swearing-in ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar took place around 8 am.

In a shocking turn of events, Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the second time. NCP's Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as Deputy Chief Minister. Both leaders were administered by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhawan. On November 12, President Kovind imposed President's rule in Maharashtra after no party staked claim to form a government nearly 20 days after results of assembly elections were declared. President's Rule in Maharashtra: Congress List Four 'Grave Violations'.

The BJP emerged as the single largest party winning 105 seats, and along with its longtime ally, Shiv Sena was in a comfortable position to form a government. The Shiv Sena, however, with 56 legislators, refused to join the BJP in forming a government, insisting on rotational chief ministership. The Shiv Sena had since been trying to form a government with the help of the NCP and Congress, which had won 54 and 44 seats respectively.

Congress had opposed the imposition of President's rule in Maharashtra, saying Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari made "mockery of the Constitution". "Governor Koshyari has committed a grave travesty of the democracy and made a mockery of the Constitutional process in recommending President’s Rule in Maharashtra," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala had tweeted.

“Four grave violations of the Constitutional Scheme, as expressed in SR Bommai judgment, stand out. In absence of any single party having majority in Maharashtra, Gov should have called; 1. Single largest pre poll alliance i.e BJP-Shiv Sena together; Then 2. Second largest post poll alliance i.e Congress-NCP; 3. In case Gov called individual parties, why did he not call INC? And above all; 4. Why the completely arbitrary allotment of time? 48 hours to BJP, 24 hrs to Sena & not even 24 hours to NCP, before the Presidents Rule,” Surjewala had added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 23, 2019 09:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).