Devendra Fadnavis: Their common maximum programme was to oust BJP

Devendra Fadnavis. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Addressing the media before he resigned as chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis said Ajit Pawar had cited personal reasons for quitting the government, while lashing out heavily at the Shiv Sena.

He said leaders who wouldn't step out of their (Kala Nagar) home, were seen swearing allegiance to Sonia Gandhi and even running around places, showing their lachari (helplessness) for power and positions that the BJP had refused to part with in a deal that never existed.

Devendra Fadnavis handed in his resignation on Tuesday

He ridiculed the proposed government as a three-wheeler that will have each wheel pulling in a different direction. "I wonder if the government will run for long," he said, adding that his previous government had worked tirelessly for the public for five years, because of which they were voted back to power.

"They [the three-parties] have a common maximum programme of opposing the BJP. The BJP got a real mandate because it won 70 per cent of the total seats it contested, whereas the Sena won only 42 per cent. We tried to give a government that the people dreamed of, but the Sena bargained for things that were not promised. We did not make a government when we did not have numbers but Ajit dada's letter of extending 54 MLAs' support prompted us to make a government," he said.

Ajit Pawar

"Ajit Pawar was the leader of the NCP in the legislature. He decided to cooperate with us. He gave us a letter of support signed by the NCP MLAs, based on which we formed the government. Today the court ordered a floor test. Ajit Pawar met me and said that he will not continue with the alliance and offered his resignation. Hence, we don't have the majority," Fadnavis said.

He added, "We decided not to indulge in horse trading. We formed the government only because we had the support of the NCP. Now, as Ajit Pawar has resigned, [even] I am going to resign. I am going to meet the governor and submit my resignation."

On Tuesday morning, the Supreme Court directed that a floor test be conducted on Wednesday. Fadnavis and the BJP were banking on Ajit Pawar to woo NCP MLAs. Ajit Pawar had joined the BJP-led government on Saturday, claiming he has the support of all 54 NCP MLAs. However, 51 party MLAs declared their allegiance to Sharad Pawar and Ajit was left with just two MLAs.

With PTI inputs

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