Mumbai (PTI): BJP legislator Pravin Darekar on Saturday demanded that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis be appointed as the next chief minister of the state with early trends in the counting of votes for the assembly elections suggesting a win for the Mahayuti combine.
In the alliance, the party that secures the highest number of seats will be entitled to get the chief minister's post, he asserted.
The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appeared set to retain power in the state, and was leading in 218 of the 288 assembly seats, as per the latest figures in the counting of votes by the Election Commission. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was stumbling, with its candidates leading in just 50 seats.
As per ECI figures, in the Mahayuti, BJP candidates were leading in 128 seats, Shiv Sena in 55 and NCP in 35 seats.
Talking to reporters, BJP MLC Darekar said, "Based on the current trends, I believe that the BJP will be the single largest party and Devendra Fadnavis should become the chief minister. The election was contested under his leadership, and he called for a 'dharma yuddha' in these assembly polls."
"I cannot express my gratitude to people," he said.
When asked about the current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, whose party Shiv Sena is an ally of the BJP, Darekar said, "As part of the alliance, the party that secures the most seats will be entitled to the post of Chief Minister."
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Mumbai: Senior politician and constitutional expert Prakash Ambedkar has opined that Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar should invite the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam President Vijay to form the government as his party emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly elections.
Ambedkar, who is a Mumbai-based advocate, activist and also the grandson of Dr. BR Ambedkar, is a former Parliamentarian.
Citing articles from the Constitution and similar incidents in the political history of the nation, Prakash Ambedkar has explained why Vijay cannot be stopped from forming the government in Tamil Nadu, reports Deccan Herald.
“Merely doubt over whether the TVK has the necessary number cannot suffice to withhold the invitation to the party to form the government. The Governor should invite Vijay, President of TVK, the single-largest party, to form the government and assume office as the next Chief Minister. After taking charge, as per the Article 164 (2) of the Constitution, Vijay will have to prove that his government has a majority in the House,” Ambedkar explained.
He also gave examples from India’s political history supporting his argument.
Ambedkar cited the example of the 1989 Lok Sabha elections and said that, although the Congress (I) emerged the single-largest party with 194 seats, Rajiv Gandhi declined the invitation by President R Venkataraman to form the government. “My friend Vishwanath Pratap Singh, leader of the National Front, was then invited and sworn in as Prime Minister on December 2, 1989,” he added.
He then recalled the 1996 elections to the Lower House of the Parliament, when the BJP emerged the single-largest party, but the Parliament was hung as the BJP lacked a majority. “Atal Bihari Vajpayee was invited by President Shankar Dayal Sharma to form the government and was sworn in as Prime Minister. Vajpayee resigned 13 days later on May 28, 1996, after failing to secure majority support in the Lok Sabha,” Ambedkar explained.
