Will seek time to meet Maha Guv for imposing Governor's Rule: Prakash Ambedkar

Mumbai: As the impasse between BJP and Shiv Sena over government formation in Maharashtra goes on, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday said he will meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to discuss the current political scenario in the state and request him to impose Governor's Rule.

Speaking to media, Ambedkar felt that the current scenario is creating a situation of violation of constitutional provisions. With the BJP and Shiv Sena embroiled in a tussle over power-sharing, time is running out and there are no signs of government formation as of now.

The VBA did not win any seat in the state assembly elections last month but did get a fair share of votes in their kitty. The VBA had contested the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the AIMIM but had fought the assembly polls alone due to some differences.

Although VBA failed to open its account, the party got nearly 4.6 per cent vote share in the state.

Amid the impasse over government formation, Ambedkar said that Congress should capitalise in the current situation and help Shiv Sena so that BJP can be kept out of power.

Speaking on NCP chief Sharad Pawar's statement of trying to win back people who have defected to VBA from NCP, Ambedkar said, "VBA supporters are loyal and I trust them. I know that my party loyalists will



always remain loyal to VBA."

"I have asked for time and will try to meet the Governor today to ask him to impose Governor's Rule in the state as there is no possibility of swearing-in of the new government happening anytime soon. As per the constitutional provisions, assembly continuity is necessary and at least a few ministers should be sworn in today before 7 pm," he continued.

The VBA chief said that even in the previous assembly, there was a delay of one day in the government formation which, according to him, was wrong.

The BJP and Shiv Sena, who are partners in the ruling alliance in Maharashtra, had fought the assembly polls together. While the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the recently held elections, it is yet to stake claim for government formation.

The BJP won 105 seats while Shiv Sena bagged 56 seats in the 288-member Vidhan Sabha.

Even after getting the required numbers to form the government, there has been a delay in cobbling up a coalition as Shiv Sena has insisted that the two parties had a '50-50' power-sharing agreement before the elections.

On the other hand, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that Shiv Sena was not promised the chief ministerial post for two-and-a-half years when the alliance was sealed before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.