Hope NCP-Shiv Sena-Congres will form govt in Maharashtra, says Manmohan after SC ruling

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday expressed hope that the three parties NCP-Shiv Sena-Congress will be able to form a government in Maharashtra.

"I hope they will. We all respect the Supreme Court, we should respect its judgement," Singh told reporters when asked if NCP-Shiv Sena-Congress will be able to form a government in Maharashtra after the Supreme Court issued an order for a floor test to be conducted on Wednesday.

Responding to a question of Opposition boycotting joint session of Parliament on the Constitution Day, Singh said: "It is not a disservice to the Constitution. It is a reminder to everyone that the constitutional norms are being violated by the present establishment."

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ramana passed the order on a joint petition filed by the three parties challenging Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's decision of administering an oath to Fadnavis as Chief Minister and NCP's Ajit Pawar as his deputy during early hours of Saturday.

The Fadnavis government was formed at a time when deliberations among the three parties on government formation had reached the final stage. The urgent plea filed by the trio sought a direction to conduct an immediate floor test.

The floor test is a constitutional mechanism under which a chief minister can be asked to prove majority in the state Assembly.