MVA fears President’s Rule after Supreme Court verdict

Ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the June-July 2022-split in the Shiv Sena and the toppling of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the three allies of the anti-BJP coalition feel that Maharashtra may head towards President’s Rule.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-group of Shiv Sena feel that the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government is expected to collapse post the verdict of the apex court.

However, after the Election Commission had legitimised the Shinde-faction as the real Shiv Sena and allotted the bow and arrow symbol, the new ruling alliance is confident about sailing through in the Supreme Court.

State NCP President Jayant Patil said that the Shinde-Fadnavis government would collapse after the apex court’s verdict.

“However, there may not be a mid-term election and Central rule would be imposed after the Supreme Court verdict,” asserted Patil, addressing a party meeting in Jalgaon.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said that the government would stand the test in the apex court.

“It is very obvious that the Supreme Court verdict will ensure the disqualification of 16 MLAs including Shinde. In that event, the government would fall. However, the probability of President’s Rule can’t be ruled out,” he said.

MVA leaders said that elections to local bodies of big cities like Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Vasai-Virar, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Amravati are due along with several zilla parishads and gram panchayats for over a year now. Elections to market committees are also pending, they said.