Cong's KC Venugopal slams BJP, says Fadnavis' resignation a 'victory of democracy'

On Tuesday, senior Congress leader KC Venugopal slammed the BJP saying how Devendra Fadnavis' resignation was a slap on the faces of the central leadership of BJP in Delhi. Calling it a 'victory of constitutional democracy,' Venugopal expressed how BJP failed at their attempt at horse-trading in the state. "This is a victory of constitutional democracy. They thought through horse-trading they can make government in the state. This is not only a failure of Fadnavis but also a slap on faces of their masters sitting in Delhi," he said. 

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Fadnavis resigns as Maha CM

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis while addressing a press briefing on Tuesday resigned as the CM of Maharashtra."BJP will prove as a very strong and important opposition party in the Assembly. We will take people's message to the government of the state. We will give justice to the people of the state," he said. In a major political twist, Devendra Fadnavis said that BJP will sit in the Opposition and he would meet the governor to tender his resignation as the party does not have the required numbers. Sources have confirmed that Ajit Pawar has resigned from the Deputy Chief Minister's post. This development came after the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that the floor test in Maharashtra assembly will be held at 5 PM on Wednesday.

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Maha Vikas Aghadi meet 

KC Venugopal further informed that there will be a joint press conference as well as a meeting of the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP on Tuesday evening. He also said that this meeting would be a decider in electing the leader of the joint legislative party, which is likely to be Uddhav Thackeray. "In the meeting, the leader of the joint legislative party will be elected. I think Uddhav Thackeray will be elected," Venugopal said.  

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Immediate floor test ordered 

Fadnavis' resignation comes after Ajit Pawar tendered his resignation as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. 

Earlier in the day, the three-judge Supreme Court bench comprising Justices NV Ramana, Ashok Bhushan, and Sanjiv Khanna ruled in favour of an immediate floor test to be conducted at 5 pm on Wednesday. Moreover, the SC ordered the protem Speaker to be appointed immediately and directed that the oath should be administered to members before 5 pm. Furthermore, the apex court had made it clear that the secret ballot method will not be used.

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(With ANI inputs)