BJP-NCP Government in Maharashtra: President's Rule Revoked In Maharashtra At 5:47 am

[Edited By: Gaurav]

Saturday, 23rd November , 2019 12:05 pm

In an early morning twist, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Maharashtra chief minister for a second time at Raj Bhavan. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. The dramatic move comes just hours after NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena announced that the government formation will take under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray. The three parties were to make a formal announcement today.

President's rule was revoked at 5.47 am to facilitate the sudden oath ceremony. According to a Home Ministry notification, President Ram Nath Kovind issued the proclamation for revocation of the central rule early this morning. After taking oath as the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: "People had given us a clear mandate, but Shiv Sena tried to ally with other parties after results, as a result, President's rule was imposed. Maharashtra needed a stable govt, not a 'khichdi' government."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar on taking oath as chief minister and deputy chief minister of Maharashtra respectively. "I am confident they will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra," PM Modi said. The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.

President's Rule Revoked In Maharashtra At 5:47 am

President's Rule was revoked in Maharashtra at 5.47 am mere hours before the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Chief Minister for a second term. The state had been placed under President's Rule on November 12 after last month's elections delivered a fractured mandate. In a brief three-line notification issued by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla this morning, President Ram Nath Kovind revoked President's Rule "in relation to the state of Maharashtra with effect from the 23rd day of November, 2019".
Government formation in the state had appeared to be a done deal late Saturday night after a lengthy tripartite meeting between the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP that resulted in Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray being announced as the alliance's Chief Minister.

"We all have consensus on the name of Uddhav Thackeray as Chief Minister," NCP chief Sharad Pawar said after emerging from the meeting. Seconds later Mr Thackeray and his son, Aaditya Thackeray, also emerged and said: "Discussions were positive, fruitful."

However, in a dramatic overnight twist the BJP formed an alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Chief Minister and Sharad Pawar's nephew, Ajit Pawar, was sworn in as his deputy.

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