4 out of 10 MLAs who went with Ajit Pawar have returned, says Nawab Malik
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Nawab Malik on Saturday claimed that during the oath-taking ceremony of Ajit Pawar at the Raj Bhawan here 10 rebel MLAs were present, out of which four have returned to the party fold.
Speaking to reporters Malik said, "Meeting of the NCP MLAs has been called at 4 p.m. to discuss the future course of action."
Talking about the 10 MLAs present during the oath-taking ceremony of Ajit Pawar, Malik said, "The MLAs were called in the morning for a meeting and then taken to the Raj Bhawan. Four out of the 10 MLAs, who went there have returned. We had a word with few more MLAs and they might also return," he said.
Malik also reiterated that the "illegitimate" BJP-Ajit Pawar government in Maharashtra will fail the floor test in the Assembly.
He said, "We have come to know that the Governor has given them time till November 30 to prove their majority in the House. And we will defeat them in the House and then there will be an NCP Speaker."
Malik, who was also part of the team that discussed the common minimum programme and was instrumental in bringing the NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress together to form a government in the state also alleged that Ajit Pawar misused the signatures of the MLAs taken for attendance.
"We had taken signatures of the MLAs for attendance, but it was misused as a basis for oath," he said.
Earlier in the day, Sharad Pawar paraded few of the MLAs, who went with Ajit Pawar in the joint press conference with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
The Congress, NCP and the Shiv Sena were left surprised as Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Chief Minister with Ajit Pawar as his deputy. The three parties were in talks to form a government in the state. President's rule was imposed in Maharashtra on November 12 after none of the parties were able to form a government in the 288-member assembly.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 105 seats while its pre-poll alliance partner Shiv Sena bagged 56 seats. The Congress and the NCP won 44 and 54 seats, respectively, in the October 21 election.
