SC seeks Maha Guv's letter, decision on floor test today

Mumbai/New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Sunday ordered the Centre to produce by Monday morning Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's letter to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Devendra Fadnavis to form a government in the state. The court said it will decide on the issue of floor test at its hearing on Monday.

In another fresh twist, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday hit back at nephew and rebel leader Ajit Pawar for claiming that the party had formed an alliance government with the BJP in Maharashtra.

"There is no question of forming an alliance with the BJP. The NCP has unanimously decided to ally with Shiv Sena and Congress to form the (Maharashtra) government. Ajit Pawar's statement is false and misleading in order to create confusion and false perception among the people," the elder Pawar said. His hard-hitting reaction came shortly after Ajit Pawar, who was suddenly sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday morning with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister, broke his silence and made a series of tweets thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and insisting he was still in the NCP.

Ajit Pawar also changed his status to 'Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra/ Nationalist Congress Party leader' — though he was sacked as the party's Legislature Party head on Saturday by the NCP.

"I am in the NCP and shall always be in the NCP and Sharad Pawar Saheb is our leader," he declared.

"Our BJP-NCP alliance shall provide a stable government in Maharashtra for the next five years which will work sincerely for the welfare of the state and its people. There is absolutely no need to worry, all is well. However, a little patience is required," he added.

Meanwhile, the court asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to produce letters of the Governor on Monday at 10.30 am. Mehta sought two days' time, a request that was declined by the court, according to reports.

A bench of Justices N V Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna were hearing a petition filed by Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP against the formation of a new government by the BJP in Maharashtra.

While major political parties are slugging it out to form a government amidst twists and turns, all eyes are now on which way 13 Independents and 16 MLAs from smaller parties will swing in the quest to achieve the 145-mark in the 288-member House in floor test. The Shiv Sena, which is in talks with the Congress-NCP to form a government sans one-time ally BJP, claims to have the support of seven MLAs apart from its own flock of 56. The BJP, which emerged as the largest party in the October 21 Assembly polls with 105 seats, claims to have the support of 14 more MLAs, taking its tally

effectively to 119. It is not certain how many MLAs, if any, are

backing NCP leader Ajit Pawar who joined hands with the BJP on Saturday.