Amid a highly tensed political situation in Maharashtra Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed that the Sena-NCP-Congress alliance could prove majority in the state Assembly in just 10 minutes.
He said the three parties together had the support of 165 MLAs and thus, could prove majority in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.
"The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress (together) have 165 MLAs. If the governor calls for an identification parade, in 10 minutes we can prove our majority," Raut said.
Addressing reporters, Raut alleged that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari allowed the new government headed by BJP's Devendra Fadnavis to be formed on the basis of "bogus" documents.
He also said the deadline of November 30 given to the government to prove majority was only to enable defections.
In a dramatic turn of events, Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday returned as chief minister propped up by NCP's Ajit Pawar, who was made his deputy, just hours after the new alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress reached a consensus that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will be their chief ministerial candidate.
Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were sworn in by Governor Koshyari at a hush-hush ceremony here, leading to the lifting of President's rule in the state.
Raut said that November 23 was a "black Saturday" in the history of Maharashtra. He further slammed its erstwhile ally by saying the BJP had no right to call the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi as 'black day'.
Ajit Pawar's volte-face created fissures in the NCP, whose chief Sharad Pawar distanced himself from his nephew's dramatic action, saying the decision to back Fadnavis was his
personal choice and not that of the party.
However, NCP leaders have been claiming they have the support of most of their 54 MLAs and are in talks with Ajit Pawar to make him return to the party's fold.
