CRUCIAL: On eve of Maharashtra floor test, Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena to meet to elect leader

On Tuesday, the MLAs of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress will jointly meet at the Trident Hotel in the BKC area of Mumbai to elect their leader at 5 pm. This announcement was made by NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik. Currently, the meeting of NCP and Shiv Sena leaders is underway at the Sofitel Hotel in Mumbai. Leaders including Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Jayant Patil, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, and Sanjay Raut are part of the deliberations. 

Read: Maharashtra: Netizens Ask 'Where Are 162', Urge Party Leaders To Announce Names

Read: Maharashtra: Voter Seeks HC Direction To BJP, Sena To Form Government

SC rules in favour of immediate floor test

This development comes on a day when 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. Thereafter, the Protem Speaker has been given the responsibility to conduct the floor test. This entire procedure will be telecasted live. Furthermore, the apex court made it clear that the secret ballot method will not be used. Subsequently, the NCP leaders have made frequent attempts to convince Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar to resign from his post and return to the Sharad Pawar camp.

Read: Maha Political Thriller's 'Twist Will Be In The Last Act, But Who Wrote It?' Asks Arnab

Opposition alliance MLAs paraded at Grand Hyatt hotel

Since none of the major political parties could garner enough numbers for government formation, President's Rule was imposed in Maharashtra on November 12. Hectic parlays had been going on in the NCP, Shiv Sena, and Congress camps to forge a post-poll alliance in the State. However, Ajit Pawar's decision to ally with the BJP to form the government stumped the opposition. While Ajit Pawar claimed that he was still in the party and the NCP had joined hands to form the government with BJP, party chief Sharad Pawar dismissed this assertion. On Monday evening, Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP paraded its 162 MLAs in the Grand Hyatt hotel. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut invited the Governor to visit the hotel and ascertain the numbers for himself. On this occasion, all the MLAs took an oath pledging loyalty to the alliance. 

Read: Nawab Malik Terms SC's Decision As 'historic', Thanks Judges For Upholding Democracy