Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi described the dramatic turn of events as “surreal” in Maharashtra on Saturday as the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the chief minister and Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) as his deputy.
“Surreal wht I read abt #Maharashtra. Thought it was fake news (sic),” Abhishek Manu Singhvi tweeted.
“… . Candidly &personally speaking, our tripartite negotiations shd not have gone on for more than 3 days…took too long. Window given was grabbed by fast movers. #pawarji tussi grt ho! Amazing if true, still not sure (sic),” Singhvi added.
The Congress and NCP were in talks with the Shiv Sena till late on Friday night to form a government in the western state.
It was widely expected that the three parties will hold a press conference any time to announce the modalities of their power-sharing agreement and claim to form the government.
Ajit Pawar was also present in the meeting on Friday night.
“I took this decision as the discussions of the alliance of the three parties Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena was not ending. There was a need to give a stable government in Maharashtra,” Ajit Pawar, who is the nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, said after taking the oath.
Sharad Pawar later tweeted to clarify that his party does not endorse the step taken by his nephew and party’s legislative leader Ajit Pawar.
“Ajit Pawar’s decision to support the BJP to form the Maharashtra Government is his personal decision and not that of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). We place on record that we do not support or endorse this decision of his,” the 78-year old Pawar tweeted.
It is not clear how many of the NCP’s 54 MLAs are with Ajit Pawar, if there is a split.
The BJP staked claim to form the government on Saturday morning after which Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari asked the Centre to withdraw the rule in Maharashtra.
Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were sworn in after President’s Rule, imposed in the state a fortnight ago, was revoked at 5.47am on Saturday.
