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Devendra Fadnavis Resigns As Chief Minister, Blames Shiv Sena For Deadlock In Maharashtra

Devendra Fadnavis drove to Raj Bhavan in South Mumbai and submitted his resignation to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other state ministers meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhawan. (Source: ANI’s verified twitter handle)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other state ministers meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhawan. (Source: ANI’s verified twitter handle)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday tendered his resignation while blaming the ally Shiv Sena for the impasse over government formation after the Assembly polls.

“The governor has accepted my resignation. I thank the people of Maharashtra for giving me the chance to serve them for the last five years,” Fadnavis said.

Refuting the Shiv Sena’s claim, Fadnavis asserted that “in my presence”, no decision had been taken by the two parties over sharing the chief minister's post.

The Sena had claimed that before the Lok Sabha polls, the two allies had decided to share the CM’s post in the next term for 2.5-years each.

He called Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray for breaking the impasse many times, but “Uddhav-ji did not take my calls,” Fadnavis claimed.

The Shiv Sena’s “policy” of not talking with the Bharatiya Janata Party but holding talks with the opposition Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party was wrong, he said.

WATCH | Devendra Fadnavis addresses media after submitting his resignation

Here are the highlights of what Devendra Fadnavis said in his press conference:

  • Have offered my resignation as Chief Minister to the Governor, which has been accepted.
  • Thank all, including the BJP's ally party, for the last five years.
  • Made strong progress on Maharashtra's infra including PGMSY, National Highways, Airport And Rail Upgradation
  • Voter saw the 'Mahayuti' as a pre-poll alliance, and gave it a majority, BJP as single-largest party
  • The voter returned to power the alliance that was governing the state
  • Was surprised by Uddhav Thackeray's comments on results day, that "all options were open"
  • Clearly state that a 2.5-year CM-post sharing formula was never discussed in my presence
  • Asked Amit Shah if CM rotation was offered, he said no such commitment was given
  • Could have resolved differences through discussion, but Sena took 'no discussion' stance
  • Unfortunate that Sena chose no discussion with BJP, but is in discussion with NCP and INC
  • Have chosen not to get into a public spat on this, do not see that as weakness
  • BJP has never commented on the Thackerays the way Sena leaders speak of Modi
  • What kind of government would we run if an 'ally' was so critical of the Prime Minister
  • Tried to address impact of recent bad weather as much as possible, perhaps a full govt could have done more
  • Have been asked by governor to stay on as acting CM, won't be taking major decisions in this period
  • Will not indulge in any horse-trading for government formation, won't need to
  • Shiv Sena not an enemy for BJP, it is ideologically aligned

Fadnavis drove to Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai and submitted his resignation to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

There has been no headway in government formation even a fortnight after Assembly poll results were announced on Oct. 24.

The BJP and Shiv Sena are locked in a tussle over the issue of the chief minister's post, resulting in a stalemate despite the Assembly poll results giving the alliance a combined seat strength of 161, way past the 145 majority mark in the 288-member House.

In the polls, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena-56, NCP-54 and the Congress won 44 seats.

Shiv Sena Reacts

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said he extends his "best wishes" to Devendra Fadnavis if the BJP leader was confident of forming the government in Maharashtra.

Talking to the media after Fadnavis's press conference where the BJP leader squarely blamed the Sena for failure to reach a new power-sharing agreement, Raut said Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will make his party's position clear soon.

"If the chief minister says there will be a BJP government again under his leadership, my best wishes to them,” he said. “In democracy, those who have majority form the government and get the chief minister's post."

"I also say, on behalf of my party, that we can form government if we want and there can be a Shiv Sena chief minister," Raut told reporters.

He also dismissed Fadnavis' allegation that the Shiv Sena leaders unfairly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.