New Delhi:
Just three days after taking oath as Maharashtra chief minister with the help of scam-tainted Ajit Pawar, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, who was asked by the Supreme Court to prove majority, chose to quit. He admitted that his party doesn't have the majority any more after Ajit Pawar, who first claimed to have support of 54 NCP MLAs, resigned as his deputy. Fadnavis, forming government with the help of Ajit Pawar, was rather shocking to many as the BJP leader has vowed to put him behind the bars during the campaigning for the Maharashtra Assembly polls.
Ajit Awar is the key accused in Maharashtra irrigation scam and going with him is likely to dent the BJP's image of self-proclaimed image of "zero tolerance" for corruption. Was going with scam-tainted Ajit Pawar BJP's biggest mistake? When Devendra Fadnavis was asked this question and his reply said a lot. "We will assess whether this was a mistake." He, however, said that this will not dent his image and said that "people of Maharashtra knows me".
Fadnavis, who was asked to prove majority by the Supreme Court, tendered his resignation from the post just three days after forming government with the help NCP rebel Ajit Pawar. The resignation of Fadnavis came hours after his deputy Ajit Pawar quit the post even without formally taking charge.
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"We don't have majority after Ajit Pawar's resignation as Dy CM," Fadnavis said. "I will be submitting my resignation to the governor after this media briefing," he said. Ajit Pawar had gone against his uncle and NCP chief Sharad Pawar in supporting the BJP but most of his party MLAs opposed his unilateral decision and supported the Shiv Sena-led alliance.
Announcing his resignation, Fadnavis said the BJP will not indulge in horse-trading and become the voice of the people as a responsible opposition. "We had decided that we will never indulge in horse trading, that we will never try to break away any MLA. Those who said that we indulge in horse trading bought the entire horse stable," he said.
