Sena-NCP-Cong combine has support of 165 MLAs, says Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. Picture/Twitter ANI

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed that the Sena-NCP-Congress combine has the support of 165 MLAs to prove the majority in Maharashtra Assembly. Addressing reporters here, Raut alleged that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari allowed the new government (headed by BJP's Devendra Fadnavis) to be formed on the basis of "bogus" documents.

He also said the deadline of November 30 given to the government to prove the majority is only to enable defections. "The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress (together) have 165 MLAs. If the governor calls for an identification parade, in 10 minutes we can prove our majority," Raut said. He also said that November 23 was a "black Saturday" in the history of Maharashtra. The BJP has no right to call the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi as 'black day', he said.

In a dramatic turn of events, Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday returned as chief minister propped up by NCP's Ajit Pawar, who was made his deputy, just hours after the new alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress reached a consensus that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will be their chief ministerial candidate. Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were sworn in by Governor Koshyari at a hush-hush ceremony here, leading to the lifting of the President's rule in the state.

Ajit Pawar's volte-face created fissures in the NCP, whose chief Sharad Pawar distanced himself from his nephew's
dramatic action, saying the decision to back Fadnavis was his personal choice and not that of the party.

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