Modi's BJP eyes return to power in India's richest state Maharashtra

THE stage is set for the return of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the western Indian state of Maharasthra with Uddhav Thackeray resigning as chief minister shortly after the country's Supreme Court declined to stay the floor test called by state governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in a special assembly session on Thursday (30).

The BJP which is the single-largest party in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly with 106 legislators, is likely to stake claim to form the government. As the leader of opposition, Devendra Fadnavis is set to stake claim to the chief minister's post for the third time. Fadnavis, who met the party's top brass twice in a week in Delhi, said the future course of action will be announced the same day.

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Thackeray took to social media yesterday to address the people of the state in which he announced his decision to step down as chief minister and as a Member of the Legislative Council.

The announcement brought an end to the political crisis that erupted in the state for over a week with a faction of Shiv Sena MLAs revolting against him for joining hands with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Indian National Congress to form the government.

In his address, Thackeray said, "I am resigning as the chief minister and also as an MLC."

The statement was followed by a celebration in the Shinde faction which had been camping in first Surat, then Guwahati and had landed in Goa on Wednesday (29) night.

The BJP, on the other hand, is likely to hold a series of meetings to deliberate on the formation of government in the state along with the rebel Shiv Sena members of the legislative assembly (MLAs).

The BJP would approach the governor to stake claim to form the government, which the Shinde faction would back with their 39 Shiv Sena MLAs and other independents.

Last night, a number of MLAs flocked to the residence of former chief minister Fadnavis and exchanged greetings and sweets after the Thackeray government fell.

The BJP has asked all its MLAs to be present in Mumbai, the state capital. Meanwhile, party's state unit chief Chandrakant Patil said Eknath Shinde, who led the faction of rebel MLAs and had been staying in Guwahati since June 22, would decide the next course of action along with Fadnavis .

Fadnavis was chief minister in 2014 and in 2019, could hold the post for just three days.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court gave its go-ahead for a floor test in Maharashtra Assembly on Thursday as it refused to stay the state governor's decision which was challenged by Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu.

"We are not staying tomorrow's floor test," the Supreme Court bench said.

The court also issued notice on Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu's plea and said the floor test will be subject to the outcome of the present petition. The court will hear his plea on July 11.

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala had earlier in the day reserved the decision on the plea filed by Sunil Prabhu challenging Koshyari's direction to Thackeray to hold the floor test on Thursday.

Koshyari had asked the Thackeray-led government in the state to prove a majority on the floor of the House on Thursday stating that the "present political scenario" unfolding in the state paints a "very disturbing picture."

Maharashtra assembly secretary Rajendra Bhagwat has informed all the state MLAs that as per orders of governor that there was no need of a floor test now and Thursday's special session was cancelled.