NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday claimed the misuse of power and money to control the entire election mechanism, which was never before seen in any state assembly or national polls, was witnessed in Maharashtra. Pawar made the statement when he visited senior activist Dr Baba Adhav, who is protesting against the alleged "misuse of EVMs" in the recent state polls in Maharashtra. Adhav, who is in his 90s, began his three-day protest at Phule Wada, the residence of social reformer Jyotiba Phule, in the city on Thursday. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), have been alleging manipulation of EVMs in the recently held Maharashtra Assembly elections, which saw a landslide victory by the Mahayuti. The Mahayuti, comprising the Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP, won 230 out of 288 assembly seats in the November 20 polls, while the MVA managed just 46 seats.Talking to reporters, Pawar said elections were conducted recently in the country, and
Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Friday dismissed speculation that caretaker Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was upset and hence left for his native village in Satara district even as government formation has been delayed. The Shiv Sena president was unwell when he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday night, he told reporters. Shinde, who has made it clear that he would accept the decision of the BJP top brass on the next chief minister, should be part of the new government, added Samant, a minister in the previous Shinde-led cabinet. A key meeting of the Mahayuti allies BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP was put off earlier on Friday as Shinde left for his village Dare, delaying the government formation a week after the Maharashtra assembly polls results. Asked about the meeting between Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar that was supposed to take place in Mumbai, Samant said, "If the meeting does not take place physically, it can also be held through video ...
Maharashtra's government formation hits a roadblock as Eknath Shinde's sudden departure for his village delays crucial talks on portfolio distribution, leaving the power-sharing pact uncertain
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Friday said if their party head Eknath Shinde doesn't accept the deputy chief minister's post, then it will be given to someone from their outfit. Talking to reporters, Shirsat said Shinde will certainly not go to the Centre as a Union minister. After the Mahayuti alliance's astounding performance in the Maharashtra polls, where it won 230 of the 288 seats, Shinde, now the caretaker chief minister, has said that he will fully support BJP leadership's decision to name the next CM and won't be a hurdle in the process. This had led to debates over the possibility of Shinde being offered the deputy CM position and whether he would accept it. If Shinde does not accept the deputy CM's post, then some other leader from our party will get it. He (Shinde) will take a call on this by evening, said Shirsat, who retained his Aurangabad assembly West seat. On Thursday, the Shiv Sena leader said Shinde was unlikely to accept the post of deputy CM in the new ..
Fadnavis asserted that the Mahayuti alliance had no internal differences and that a decision on the Chief Minister would be made soon after consulting the leaders
Shinde reiterated that there were no obstacles regarding the Chief Minister's post and that 'Ladla Bhai' is a title that holds more significance for him than anything else
The process of government formation in Maharashtra is expected to get a boost after a crucial meeting between caretaker CM Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar and Union minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday night, sources said. The meeting assumes significance amid reports that the BJP leadership may be mulling over names of a few of its Maratha leaders, despite the perception that Fadnavis becoming the CM for a third time is a foregone conclusion, the sources said. Caste dynamics have assumed a greater role in the choice of the CM as an overwhelming number of the 288 MLAs from all the parties are from the Maratha community. Fadnavis is a Brahmin and first became the CM in 2014 and again for a brief while in 2019. "If the writ of RSS prevails, the chances of Fadnavis becoming the CM are bright," the sources said. Despite vociferous demands from Shiv Sena leaders that Shinde should have a go at another term at the top post, the caretaker CM on Wednesday made it clear that
Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde has said he is proud of his father Eknath Shinde, who is currently Maharashtra's caretaker chief minister, for setting an example of following the "alliance dharma" while setting aside personal ambition. In a post on X on Wednesday night, the parliamentarian said his father has an unbreakable bond with the people of Maharashtra. He toiled for every section of the society day and night, said the Shiv Sena leader, who party is an ally of the BJP and NCP. His statement came after Eknath Shinde (60) on Wednesday announced the Shiv Sena would support the decisions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to name the next Maharashtra CM, paving the way for the BJP to head the new government. The caretaker CM has said he had spoken to PM Modi and Union minister Shah and assured them that there will be no "hindrance" from his side in the formation of new government in the state. "I am proud of my father and chief leader of the Shiv Sen
Shiv Sena MPs on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, days after the BJP-led Mahayuti registered a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Shiv Sena MPs led by Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav, Ravindra Waikar, Sandipan Bhumare, Shrirang Appa Barne, Milind Deora, Dhairyasheel Mane and former Lok Sabha member Rahul Shewale met Shah in Parliament. Mane said the MPs thanked Shah for campaigning extensively for the elections and touring almost every district of the state. "People of Maharashtra listened to what Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, and the Mahayuti returned to power with a thumping majority," Mane said. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance won the Maharashtra elections by a landslide, bagging 235 seats in the 288-member House. The BJP alone won 132 seats while the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) emerged victorious on 57 and 41 seats, respectively. Smaller parties of the coalition won five seats. The meeting took place as
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat commented that Eknath Shinde would not accept the deputy chief minister post and expressed hope that senior leaders would endorse Shinde as the CM
The Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates who faced defeat in the recent Maharashtra assembly polls have decided to seek verification of the EVM-Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) units in their segments, a leader of the opposition alliance said. Many losing candidates of the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) pointed fingers at the functioning of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during their interaction with party head Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday. Thackeray took stock of the lacklustre performance of his party at a meeting held at his residence in Mumbai. The poll verdict last week saw the Mahayuti coalition, comprising the Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP, retaining power with a massive mandate, pushing the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to margins. The Mahayuti won 230 seats and MVA only 46 in the 288-member House. The Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) emerged as the largest party in the opposition camp by winning 20 seats, followed by Congress which bagged 16 constituencies, while the NCP (Sharadchandra
The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is yet to decide on the Chief Minister
The BJP, according to sources, is working on a formula where Fadnavis will be the new CM. While Shinde and Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP's) Ajit Pawar will be the two deputy CMs
The resolution was moved by Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant in the party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde
Addressing the gathering, CM Shinde said that the government will soon increase the amount to Rs 2100 as promised
There is unrest in the Maha Vikas Aghadi camp and its five to six MLAs might join the ruling Mahayuti in the next few months, claimed NCP chief whip Anil Patil, who has retained his Amalner assembly seat, on Sunday. The MVA of Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered a crushing blow in the Maharashtra assembly polls, winning only 46 of the state's 288 seats. By contrast, the BJP-led ruling coalition, which also has NCP and Shiv Sena as partners, bagged an impressive 230 seats. There is tremendous unrest among some NCP (SP), Congress and Sena (UBT) MLAs who have been re-elected. Those having good relations with us have expressed concerns over MVA's massive defeat, Patil told Marathi news channel ABP Majha. If one wants development works in his constituency, it is good to be in power, said the legislator from Ajit Pawar's party. The MVA MLAs feel their future is uncertain. It shouldn't be a surprise if five to six MLAs cross over to the Mahayuti in the next four months, he ...
Shiv Sena MLAs feel Eknath Shinde should continue to work as the chief minister of Maharashtra, state minister and party leader Deepak Kesarkar said on Sunday. A day after the Mahayuti coalition of which Shiv Sena is a constituent scored a stupendous victory in the state assembly polls, Kesarkar met Shinde at the latter's residence in Mumbai. "Shiv Sena MLAs feel Shinde should continue in the post because under his leadership the Mahayuti worked very well and performed spectacularly in polls," Kesarkar told reporters. He, however, added that Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) will take a unanimous decision on the CM issue. "Whatever may be the decision, it will be in the interest of Maharashtra," said Kesarkar, who won another term from the Sawantwadi constituency. Speculation regarding the chief minister's post started doing rounds after the BJP led by Fadnavis won the highest 132 out of 288 seats in the state elections. Shiv Sena led by Shinde bag
Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday said the Mahayuti leaders and BJP leadership will decide who will be the next chief minister of the state. Bawankule also said the people of Maharashtra have rejected the Congress, noting that its state unit chief Nana Patole won by a margin of just around 200 votes. The BJP-led Mahayuti, which also comprises the Shiv Sena of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP of deputy CM Ajit Pawar, on Saturday retained power in the state by bagging 230 of the 288 assembly seats. The Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi's dream of wresting power fizzled, with the opposition combine managing to garner just 46 seats. Bawankule here said all sections of the society supported the BJP in the Maharashtra assembly polls. On the issue of the next CM of the state, he said the Mahayuti leaders and the BJP leadership will decide on it. He also said the Congress' lies were to blame for no party getting enough seats to stake claim for the post of leader o
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday slammed former Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, alleging that he had removed the fear of the law from politicians who defected from parties in Maharashtra. Raut claimed that by not deciding on the disqualification petitions, Chandrachud kept doors and windows open for defections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader's statement comes after his party faced a severe drubbing in the state assembly elections, as it managed to clinch only 20 out of 95 seats it contested as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The performance of the party's alliance partners was no better, with the Congress winning only 16 out of 101 seats and NCP (SP) getting only 10 out of 86 seats it contested. Talking to reporters, Raut alleged, "He (Chandrachud) has removed the fear of the law from defectors. His name will be written in black letters in history." Following the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022, the party's faction headed by Uddhav Thackeray filed ...
On the eve of Parliament's Winter Session, the government will meet floor leaders of political parties on Sunday to ensure the smooth functioning of the House against the backdrop of the BJP and its rival alliance's surprise victories in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, respectively. The meeting has been convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, leaders of Congress, Trinamool, DMK, Shiv Sena, BJD and others are expected to join the deliberations. The Winter Session of Parliament, beginning Monday, is scheduled to last till December 20. The government has listed 16 bills, including the Waqf Amendment Bill, for consideration, while the opposition is keen to raise the issues of the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur and the indictment of businessman Gautam Adani by a US court on allegations of bribery. Several opposition leaders have said they will raise the issue of the indictment of Adani in Parliament with Leader of the Opposition Rahul ..