Disqualification of 16 MLAs won't topple Maharashtra government: Ajit Pawar
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar has remarked the disqualification of 16 MLAs from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly would not actually topple CM Eknath Shinde's government. This came after a delegation of the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday submitted a 79-page letter to Maharashtra Deputy Speaker Narhari Sitaram Zirwal seeking expedited action in the disqualification of 16 MLAs of the Shinde camp.
Why does this story matter?
Pawar's comments came after a delegation of Uddhav Thackeray's Sena faction handed over a letter seeking expedited disqualification of the 16 MLAs after the Supreme Court's recent verdict on the matter during a meeting with Zirwal and Assembly Secretary Jitendra Bhole. The SC ruling gave fresh impetus to the Shiv Sena crisis, asking the speaker to decide on their disqualification within a "reasonable" period.
No threat to government, claims Pawar
During a press conference on Monday in Mumbai, Pawar stated, "Even if 16 MLAs are disqualified, the government of Shinde and [Devendra Fadnavis] will not fall. There is no threat to the government." Adding an argument to his opinion, the NCP leader added that in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, the ruling government would not lose its majority mark even if 16 MLAs were disqualified.
Details on letter to Maharashtra deputy speaker
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu confirmed that a delegation of their party submitted a letter addressed to Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar after the top court's ruling, which gave the speaker the authority to decide on disqualifying 16 Shinde camp MLAs. "Since the speaker is yet to return from his foreign tour, we submitted the letter to his deputy," stated Prabhu.
Pawar reacts to Thackeray demanding Shinde's resignation
Reacting to Thackeray demanding Shinde's resignation on moral grounds, Pawar on Friday said, "There is no need for demanding resignation from the current CM Eknath Shinde on moral grounds. We know he will not resign even in his dreams." "There is a huge difference between former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the current people," Pawar was quoted as saying by ANI.
Know about Thackeray's earlier comments on Shinde
After the apex court said it could have restored the status quo in Maharashtra had Thackeray not resigned last year, the former Maharashtra CM stated Shinde wasn't following the ideology of the Shiv Sena founder, the late Balasaheb Thackeray. He also called for the resignation of Shinde—who led a rebellion within the Sena, toppling the Thackeray government—from the CM's post on moral grounds.
