As the political drama in Maharashtra continues, 162 MLAs, who assembled at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai in a show of strength by the NCP-Congress-Sena alliance, took an oath to stand by the parties' and not do anything that will benefit the BJP.
"I swear that under the leadership of Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray & Sonia Gandhi, I will be honest to my party. I won't get lured by anything. I will not do anything which will benefit BJP," they pledged.
The elected representatives were paraded at 7 PM in a bid to prove that the BJP cannot form the government in the state as the alliance has more MLAs required to cross the majority-mark of 145.
Addressing the MLAs, NCP chief Sharad Pawar launched an attack on the BJP, saying that it has no right to form the government. "BJP has shown how power is misused. They have formed government in many states without having a majority, including Karnataka, Goa, Manipur, etc. Here, 162 MLAs are present and many others have also supported us but we have not yet taken it on paper so we won't disclose their names now. The day SC will order for the floor test, we are prepared for it."
Speaking on nephew Ajit Pawar, who took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday, the NCP chief said, "Ajit's decision is not the final decision. One who is suspended from the party cannot give orders. He has misled people and we have sacked him as leader of the legislative party. Action will be taken against him."
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray also addressed the MLAs ."Our fight is not just for power, our fight is for 'Satyamev Jayate.' The more you try to break us, the more we will unite," he said.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court heard a joint petition by Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress challenging Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's decision to revoke President's rule in the state and administering the oath-taking ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister and Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister on November 23.
The court has reserved its order on Maharashtra floor test and will pronounce its decision at 10:30 AM on Tuesday.
Devendra Fadnavis took oath as Maharashtra chief minister along with NCP's Ajit Pawar, who was sworn in as state's deputy chief minister after the President's rule was lifted at 5:47 AM in the morning on Saturday.
