Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut this morning made a veiled attack at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who took oath for a second consecutive term at a quiet ceremony on Saturday, after the BJP, Sena's former ally, pulled a midnight stunner and made a dramatic comeback to form the government in the state.
"Accidental Shapathgrahan," tweeted the 58-year-old leader, suggesting that the oath ceremony took place by "accident".
Mr Fadnavis's oath ceremony took place at around 8 am on Saturday, hours after the NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress had announced an alliance and said that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray would be the chief minister. NCP chief Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar, who took oath as Mr Fadnavis's deputy, had attended the joint meeting of the three parties but he had given away no hint of the switch.
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On Saturday, Mr Raut claimed that Ajit Pawar was "blackmailed" into joining hands with the BJP to form government in Maharashtra. "NCP leader Dhananjay Munde has been contacted. Ajit Pawar may also return (to NCP fold). We have information how Ajit Pawar has been blackmailed and will expose this soon," Mr Raut told reporters.
Mr Raut's remarks came after NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar earlier on Saturday claimed that it was Ajit Pawar's "personal decision" to support the BJP.
Today, the Supreme Court will hear a petition filed by the Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party at 11:30 am against the centre's move to end President's Rule and the Governor's move to invite Devendra Fadnavis to form government. A three-judge bench will hear the petition.
While imposition and revocation of President's Rule has to be cleared by the Union Cabinet, the BJP said it was bypassed through a particular rule in the Allocation of Business Rules 1961. Under it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, vested with special powers, had given the green signal.
Since the state election results were announced on October 24, Mr Raut, executive editor of the Sena's mouthpiece "Saamana", had been the face of his party's repeated demand for chief ministership for 2.5 years and 50:50 split in portfolios, which became a flash point between his party and ally BJP.
(With inputs from PTI)
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