Sena mouthpiece Saamana terms Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar deal- 'Farji-cal' Strike on Maharashtra

After being stunned by Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar combination, Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Sunday, called the late-night deal struck between the BJP and Ajit Pawar faction a 'Farji-cal Strike' (Fake surgical strike). Quoting Shiv Sena Supremo Uddhav Thackeray, Saamana said that Maharashtra will take revenge for this Surgical strike on the state's democracy. The editorial further slammed Ajit Pawar for allegedly betraying NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar.

Saamana slams Ajit Pawar-Fadnavis

Saamana goes on to slam the newly formed government calling it a government based on crooked means (jugaad sarkar). It added that Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar is left with nothing but three MLAs' support. Quoting Thackeray's confidence in forming the next government, it added that the Congress-Sena-NCP alliance will win as BJP will not be able to prove their numbers.

READ | Devendra Fadnavis takes oath as Maha CM, calls Sena-Cong-NCP alliance as 'Khichdi govt'

Hotel politics

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Maharashtra Governor’s decision to invite Devendra Fadnavis for government formation in the state. The apex has constituted a three-judge bench comprising Justice NV Ramana, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Sanjiv Khanna to hear the case at 11:30 AM on Sunday. Fearing any possible horsetrading, NCP has gathered 48-50 MLAs who have pledged allegiance Sharad Pawar at Rennaisance Hotel in Powai. Similarly, Shiv Sena has holed up its MLAs in Hotel Lalit, Andheri. Congress, on the other hand, is mulling to fly its MLAs to Jaipur.

READ | Maharashtra govt LIVE updates: SC to hear Cong-Sena-NCP writ petition on Sunday

Ajit Pawar sacked

Acting against rebel NCP leader Ajit Pawar, NCP sacked as the leader of the NCP Legislative Party leader and was replaced by Jayant Patil. NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar stated that there is an anti-defection law in place, distancing the NCP from Ajit Pawar's decision. Congress and Shiv Sena have claimed that they will defeat the BJP at the floor test.

READ | Abhishek Singhvi flips stance on BJP-NCP Maharastra govt after hailing 'Pawar' politics

Fadnavis takes oath as CM, Sena rebels

Pulling the biggest surprise in Maharashtra politics, Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in the presence of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhawan around 8 AM. NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as his Deputy CM. While BJP claims Ajit Pawar has the support of all 54 NCP MLAs, NCP sources have reported that Ajit Pawar at least has 30 MLAs support. Meanwhile, sources have reported that 22 Shiv Sena MLAs may break away to support the BJP-led government. The governor has given BJP November 30 as the deadline to prove their majority.

READ | NCP sacks Ajit Pawar as Legislative Party leader; Jayant Patil replaces him

Current Maharashtra numbers

The Mahayuti alliance swept Maharashtra on October 24, winning a combined tally of 161 (BJP- 105, Sena -56). Meanwhile, the Maha Agadhi alliance (NCP-Congress) won  98 seats (NCP- 54, Congress- 44 ). The halfway mark in 144 in the 288 seat-Assembly.