Shiv Sena files petition in SC against Maharashtra Gov over invite to Shinde to form govt

|HT|

The Uddhav Thackeray camp has filed a fresh petition in the Supreme Court against Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's decision on June 30 to invite Eknath Shinde to form the government. The move comes more than a week after Shinde took oath as the chief minister of the state that saw the fall of the 2.5 years old Maha Vikas Aghadi government last month. Earlier this week, as Shinde - whose rebellion had led to the collapse of the MVA government - proved majority in the state assembly, the Uddhav Thackeray camp went to the top court against the decision of new assembly speaker - Rahul Narwekar - to recognise a new whip for the party from the Team Shinde. The top court listed it for hearing with other pending pleas on the Maharashtra political crisis on July 11.

The Supreme Court has several petitions listed on Maharashtra political turmoil. Earlier, a plea was moved by the Shinde camp on disqualification notices that he and 15 other MLAs who supported him had been served.

Shinde's revolt unfolded about two weeks ago when he went to Gujarat's Surat with some of the supporting MLAs. Later, the strength of the rebel faction kept growing in the days that followed amid claims that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had formed an "unnatural" front with the NCP and the Congress, and that he was inaccessible to the leaders of his own party. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar, whose NCP was part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, recently slammed the Maharashtra governor, suggesting he drifted during the Shinde oath ceremony. Shinde's deputy, Devendra Fadnavis, had taken oath as his deputy.

“I have been a part of many swearing-in ceremonies but never had any governor offer me sweets, and give me bouquets,” Pawar had said.

After an easy floor test win, next on Shinde-Fadnavis government is distribution of portfolios.

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