Delay in floor test will lead to 'horse-trading' in Maharashtra: JDU Pavan Verma

JDU general secretary Pavan Verma said here on Sunday that BJP and Ajit Pawar should prove their majority on the floor of the Maharashtra Assembly at the earliest because any delay in floor test might increase the chances of "horse-trading" of legislators.

"In Maharashtra, the need is that BJP and NCP should prove the majority on the floor of the Assembly or try to prove it because any delay in floor test will increase the chances of horse-trading," said Verma.

The Supreme Court on Sunday heard a joint plea by NCP-Shiv Sena-Congress against BJP-led Maharashtra government and issued notices to the state government, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, his deputy Ajit Pawar and the Centre, asking them to present before it the relevant documents and letters of support from MLAs by 10 am tomorrow.

At a time when deliberations among Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena on the formation of a non-BJP government in the state had seemingly reached the final stage, the BJP formed the government in a surprise development on Saturday morning when Devendra Fadnavis took oath for the second consecutive term as the state Chief Minister, with NCP's Ajit Pawar as his Deputy Chief Minister.

The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) late on Saturday moved 44 MLAs to the Renaissance Hotel here on Saturday.