New Delhi, Nov 26, TEN Network | Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday targeted the Centre for the political crisis in Maharashtra. “The way Centre behaved in Maharashtra, not certain constitutional norms safe in the hands of the present establishment,” he said. Singh also said that Supreme Court’s order of conducting a floor test in Maharashtra Wednesday must be respected.
The court’s decision came after the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress challenged Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s decision of inviting Devendra Fadnavis to take oath as the Maharashtra Chief Minister. In a surprise, NCP’s Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as his deputy.
Minutes after the Supreme Court’s order today, Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi said she is “absolutely” confident of winning the floor test. Both the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance and the BJP also welcomed the decision and expressed confidence of winning it.
“Satyamev jayate” (truth shall prevail),” Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut tweeted. “Satya pareshan ho sakta hai..parajit nahi ho sakta…Jai Hind!!” (truth can get frustrated, but cannot get defeated), the Rajya Sabha member said in another tweet. “The court has given 30 hours, we can prove majority in 30 minutes,” he added.
NCP’s Nawab Malik also tweeted on similar lines and said the floor test is an “end of the BJP’s game”. “Satyamev Jayate BJP ka khel khatm” (truth alone shall win, end of the BJP’s game), NCP’s chief spokesperson Nawab Malik tweeted after the apex court gave its ruling. NCP leader Sharad Pawar called the judgment a tribute to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. “I am grateful to Hon’ble SC for upholding democratic values and constitutional principles. It’s heartening that the Maharashtra Verdict came on the #ConstitutionDay!” Pawar tweeted.
Congress, which is the third wheel in the alliance, said the Supreme Court order is a slap for ‘illegitimate’ BJP-Ajit Pawar govt which held ‘mandate’ hostage. “The reality of BJP’s claim will be exposed tomorrow. The Constitution has been respected on Constitution Day,” senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said.
The saffron party has also expressed confidence that it will prove its majority in the Assembly tomorrow. Rejecting that the order is a “setback” to the BJP, party spokesperson Nalin Kohli said the floor test will establish the position of different parties in its entirety. He also asserted that “no judicial pronouncement on issues of the Constitution can be a setback to any political party”. Judicial orders only strengthen the Constitution, he added. “We respect the court order. We are ready to prove majority and we will show it,” Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil told reporters.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) welcomed the Supreme Court’s order and said Fadnavis should tender his resignation on immediately since he does not have the required numbers. “The good verdict on an important day like Constitution Day will uphold the Constitution and protect democracy,” IUML chief K M Kader Mohideen told PTI.
A three-judge bench today ruled that a floor test will be held tomorrow in Maharashtra and will be presided over by a pro-tem or interim Speaker. The court also ordered that voting will not take place by secret ballot but will be telecast live. In the 288-member Assembly, the BJP is the single largest party with 105 MLAs, followed by Shiv Sena (56), NCP (54) and Congress (44). (TIE)
