Maharashtra Governor has made mockery of constitutional process: Surjewala

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Tuesday said that Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had made "a grave travesty of the democracy" and "a mockery of the constitutional process" by recommending imposition of President's Rule in the state.

Surjewala, who made a series of tweets, said, "four grave violations of the Constitutional Scheme, as expressed in SR Bommai judgment, stand out".

He said in absence of any single party having majority in Maharashtra, Governor should have called "single largest pre-poll alliance i.e. BJP-Shiv Sena together" and then "second-largest post poll alliance i.e Congress-NCP."

He asked why an opportunity was not given to Congress to stake claim to form the government if individual parties were called.

He also termed the time given to various parties to show support as "arbitrary".

"In case Governor called individual parties, why did he not call INC? Why the completely arbitrary allotment of time? 48 hours to BJP, 24 hrs to Sena and not even 24 hours to NCP, before the Presidents Rule. This is unashamedly dishonest and politically motivated," he said.

The Governor on Tuesday recommended imposition of President's Rule in the state in view of stalemate over government formation.