Amid Maharashtra political impasse, Shiv Sena moves SC against Governor's refusal to extend deadline for submitting letter of support

Amid the confusion over government formation in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena moved the Supreme Court against Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s decision to refuse extension of time sought by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party for submitting the “requisite letter of support” to prove its claim to form a government on Monday night. Meanwhile, Koshyari has recommended President’s Rule in the state and the Union Cabinet has given its nod to it.

The Sena, which is trying to form a coalition government with the support of the NCP and the Congress, had failed to secure the letters from both the parties on Monday. Sena leaders had met Koshyari ahead of the 7:30 pm deadline on Monday to stake claim to form a government.

After the Sena failed to submit the letter of support of MLAs, the governor had invited the NCP, the third largest party in the 288-member Assembly with 54 MLAs, to “express ability and willingness” to stake claim for government.

The Sena (56 MLAs) had sought a three-day extension for submitting the letter of support, but the governor declined to accept the request, a Raj Bhavan statement had said.

Sena leaders had claimed that the governor had granted 72 hours to the BJP (105), the single largest party, to stake claim to form a government. The BJP on Sunday declined to form a government for want of numbers.

“The Sena could not submit the requisite letter of support. The Sena further submitted a letter requesting three- day extension of the deadline (which ended 7.30 pm on Monday) for submitting the letter of support…The governor expressed his inability to give any further extension,” it said.

The Union Cabinet has recommended President’s rule in Maharashtra even as top leaders from the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena were holding a flurry of consultations in a bid to muster up the numbers and resolve the impasse over government formation in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday afternoon, chaired a meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the stalemate in Maharashtra where no party has so far been able to form government after the Assembly polls last month. The Cabinet decided to recommend to the president that central rule should be imposed in the state, sources said.

Follow live updates on Maharashtra government formation here

With inputs from PTI