BJP will get befitting reply in Maha Assembly floor test: Congress
New Delhi: The Congress on Monday said its alliance with the NCP and the Shiv Sena had the support of 154 MLAs and the BJP will get a "befitting reply" in the Maharashtra Assembly floor test.
The assertion came minutes after the Supreme Court said it will give its order on the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine's plea against the Maharashtra governor's decision to swear-in Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister.
Asserting that democracy was "murdered" in Maharashtra and the Constitution "trampled upon", Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said an "illegitimate government" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Ajit Pawar was formed.
In a dramatic development, BJP's Fadnavis took oath as chief minister and Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was sworn-in as his deputy on Saturday morning.
The move jolted the Congress, the NCP and the Shiv Sena, who were giving final touches to government formation in the state, but rattled the NCP the most due to Ajit Pawar's rebellion.
"We requested the Supreme Court that a floor test be ordered immediately so that it is proven that the majority is with the alliance
formed for Maharashtra's development -- Congress-Sena-NCP. We showed the affidavits of 154 MLAs that clearly prove that the alliance has the majority," Surjewala told reporters.
He said the combine had the support of 48 NCP MLAs, 56 Sena MLAs, 44 lawmakers of the Congress and some independents, while asserting that the number of those supporting the alliance will go up when other "MLAs are freed from BJP's jail".
"The Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena combine believes that the people's mandate and democracy will win in Maharashtra. The BJP, Ajit Pawar and all such forces that have trampled upon democracy, kidnapped the mandate and insulted constitutional institutions will get a befitting reply in the floor test, when Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will be shown the door by MLAs for not having majority," he said.
"We believe that the process will begin on Tuesday," Surjewala, flanked by senior Maharashtra Congress leaders Prithviraj Chavan and Mukul Wasnik, said.
