Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tendered his resignation today as the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance failed to form a government even after winning the assembly elections held last month.
The term of the outgoing Maharashtra assembly ends on 9th November, as a consequence, the term of Devendra Fadnavis was also ending tomorrow. Today he met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhawan and submitted his resignation. At a press conference held after resigning from his post, Fadavis said that the governor has accepted his resignation, asked him to stay as caretaker chief minister of Maharashtra.
Talking about the election results, the outgoing CM said that although BJP won fewer seats than expected, the BJP-Shiv Sena-RPI alliance won the elections by getting a huge mandate from the voters. He said that this is the result of good work done by the government. He added that even Sharad Pawar had asked the BJP and Sena to form government in Maharashtra. “Despite winning the mandate, we could not form the government”, he said.
BJP-Shiv Sena contested the elections together, all Shiv Sena MLAs won because of the performance of the government, so we were shocked when Uddhav Thackeray had said in first press conference after the elections that he is open to alliance with any party, Fadnavis said. He said that it is unfortunate that Shiv Sena leaders are making very unfortunate and objectionable comments about the formation of the government.
He said that after the kind of statements coming from Shiv Sena leaders in the last twelve days, it does not look like that they want to maintain any relations with BJP.
Devendra Fadnavis also denied the claim by Shiv Sena that there was a pre-poll agreement on 50:50 power-sharing between the two alliance partners. He also said that there were no talks on rotation of CM post after 2.5 years as Shiv Sena leader are saying. He added that no such discussion took place in his presence, but he can’t say anything if this was decided between Uddhav Thackeray and Amit Shah.
Fadnavis said when he asked Amit Shah about the same, Amit Shah told him that Shiv Sena had made the proposal, but BJP didn’t agree to it and no such deal was finalised. He said that Shiv Sena betrayed the mandate by making such comments, adding that he is hurt by the comments of Shiv Sena leaders.
The outgoing CM also said that Shiv Sena didn’t approach him to form a government after the election results were out. Shiv Sena leaders are meeting NCP and Congress leaders, but they didn’t come to us, this clearly shows that they had pre-decided agenda to ally with NCP and Congress, Fadnavis said. He also informed that Uddhav Thackeray did not respond to his calls.
He said that Uddhav Thackeray may not have said anything directly, but several Shiv Sena leaders are making objectionable comments regularly. ‘I have worked with Uddhav Thackeray for five years so I would not like to criticise him,’ he added. Fadnavis said that the kind of attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi done by some Shiv Sena leaders are of such low level that even Congress has not used such language for the PM.
He said that Shiv Sena is part of the BJP led government at the centre, they accept the leadership of Narendra Modi, but still they are abusing the PM, which is not acceptable. He said that BJP is able to reply to Shiv Sena in the same language, but they will not do so as BJP will not stoop to such low level.
Devendra Fadnavis regretted for not being able to form the next government. He said that he tried his best to form the government with Shiv Sena, but Shiv Sena broke all ties with BJP. Despite winning the elections with BJP, they are talking with other parties, it shows the mentality of the party which need no elaboration, he added.
Fadnavis said that a government will be formed in Maharashtra, and no government is possible in the state without BJP. Making a significant comment, he said that BJP has kept its doors open. But he said that BJP will not break any party, and will not poach any opposition MLA to form the government.
Devendra Fadnavis will continue as acting CM of Maharashtra until an alternate arrangement is decided. He can’t take policy decisions or start make new programs, but will ensure smooth functioning of the day to day activities of the state administration.
BJP had emerged as the single largest party by winning 105 seats and Shiv Sena 56, in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. On the other hand, the NCP and its ally, the Congress, won 54 and 44 seats, respectively. BJP-Shiv Sena alliance won the numbers required to form a government, but both parties could not agree on a power-sharing agreenemt as Shiv Sena was insisting on a 50:50 formula despite winning far less seats than BJP.
