We have 165 MLAs with us, BJP government will fall, claims Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

Commenting on BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis' move to take oath as Chief Minister of Maharashtra with Ajit Pawar as his deputy on Saturday (November 23), Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that it was a wrong step taken by BJP and Ajit Pawar.

In a scathing attack on Bharatiya Janata Party and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday (November 24) said that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar is a national leader and the BJP will not be able to form government in Maharashtra.

Commenting on BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis' move to take oath as Chief Minister of Maharashtra with Ajit Pawar as his deputy on Saturday (November 23), Raut said that it was a wrong step taken by BJP and Ajit Pawar. The Shiv Sena MP stressed that 165 MLAs are with Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP and the alliance will defeat the BJP on the Floor of House during trust vote.

Referring to Ajit Pawar's decision to support the BJP and form the government without the permission of NCP chief Pawar and other party MLAs, Raut said that the senior NCP leader has committed the biggest mistake of his life. Raut added that Ajit Pawar has stabbed his uncle Sharad Pawar in the back by supporting the BJP.

Accusing Ajit Pawar of taking false documents to Raj Bhawan to prove that the NCP MLAs are in support of a BJP-led government, Raut said that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari should not have accepted those documents. The Shiv Sena told media that even if today, Governor Koshyari asks Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP to prove majority, the alliance can do it right now. Raut claimed that at least 49 out of 54 NCP MLAs are with the alliance.

Continuing his verbal diatribe against the BJP, Raut said that the CBI, ED, Income Tax Department and Police are the four main party workers of BJP. He added that Governor Koshyari is also working at the behest of the BJP. 

In a related development, NCP MLA Nawab Malik said that all MLAs of the party are together and Chief Minister will fail in proving his majority on the floor of House.

"By this evening all the MLAs of our party will come back to us. Fadnavis ji will not be able to prove majority on the floor of the House, we demand him that he tenders his resignation," Malik said.

Talking about Ajit Pawar, Malik said that Sharad Pawar's nephew committed a mistake and the party has been making efforts since Saturday (November 23) to make him understand his mistake but he has not shown any inclination to rectify his mistake. 

"Efforts are being made since yesterday to make him understand, he has not given any indication so far. It will be better if he realises his mistake," Malik noted.