SP seeks white paper over govt formation in Maharashtra

The Samajwadi Party on Sunday demanded that a 'white paper' be issued over the "entire sequence of events" that led the revocation of the President's Rule and the formation of the BJP-led government Maharashtra.

Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were sworn in by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at 8 am on Saturday at a hush-hush ceremony in Raj Bhavan in Mumbai after dramatic midnight developments, leading to the lifting of the President's rule. The BJP was propped up by NCP's Ajit Pawar who revolted against his party headed by his uncle Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar was made the deputy chief minister.

"In order to ensure that the dignity of the Governor's post is not shattered, it is necessary that a white paper on the entire sequence of events be issued," Ram Govind Chaudhary, Leader of Opposition in UP Legislative Assembly told reporters here.

The senior SP leader said, "People also want to know that on what basis the Governor recommended revocation of President's Rule."

In an earlier letter to President Ramnath Kovind, Koshiyari had written "that no party staked the claim (to form the government) and there are possibilities of horse trading of MLAs before the majority test," he said.