Sena should take to streets in Mumbai, says Digvijaya

Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh on Saturday advised the Shiv Sena to "take to the streets" of Mumbai to protest against the formation of a new BJP-led government in Maharashtra. He also claimed that NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who took oath as deputy chief minister along with CM Devendra Fadnavis, had joined the new government alone, and no other NCP MLA was with him.

The Sena "should hit the streets to protect the Constitution", Singh said. "This is a challenge before (Shiv Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray, that he show the Shiv Sena's strength in Mumbai," Singh told reporters here.

Asked if the Congress will participate in the protests, he said, "Yes, Congress will also join in." "None of the NCP MLAs are going to join Ajit Pawar, who has gone with them (the BJP) alone," the senior Congress leader claimed. "Fadnavis often raised the issue of corruption cases against Ajit Pawar during the election campaign. Now they have come together. What will happen to these corruption cases?" he asked.

The formation of government in Maharashtra on Saturday morning was unconstitutional, and the BJP had adopted similar tactics in Goa, Meghalaya and Manipur, he said. "The governor had invited the BJP, it being the largest party (after assembly poll results in Maharashtra on October 24). But it refused to form a government.

"What transpired last night that he administered the oath to Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar in the morning? This is unconstitutional," Singh said. The Congress leader also demanded that governor B K Koshyari clarify whether he has a letter of NCP's support signed by its Maharashtra unit president Jayant Patil.

"He (governor) should also clarify whether he has a letter of support by NCP MLAs," Singh said. The Supreme Court's directives and Sarkariya commission report clearly state that majority should be tested only on the floor of the House and not at governor's house, the Congress leader said..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)