With the Supreme Court directing Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to ensure a floor test in the state Assembly on Wednesday, the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have expressed their jubilation.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that the floor test for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the Maharashtra Assembly be conducted on Wednesday. It also directed Koshyari to ensure that all elected members of the House are sworn in on Wednesday itself.
The Supreme Court also said that the entire proceedings have to be telecast live. Voting in the Assembly shall not be on the basis of secret ballot, it said.
Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said truth cannot be defeated. Satyamev jayate (truth shall prevail), Raut tweeted.
Satya pareshan ho sakta hai… parajit nahi ho sakta… Jai Hind! (truth can get frustrated, but cannot get defeated), the Rajya Sabha member said in another tweet.
NCP
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday hailed the Supreme Court’s direction calling for a floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday, saying he was grateful to the apex court for upholding democratic values and constitutional principles.
He said it was heartening that the verdict came when ‘Constitution Day’ is being celebrated, and dubbed it as a tribute to Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution.
“I am grateful to Hon’ble SC for upholding democratic values and constitutional principles. It’s heartening that the Maharashtra Verdict came on the #Constitution Day, a Tribute to Bharatratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar!” Pawar tweeted.
Congress
The Congress hailed the Supreme Court’s Tuesday order to hold a floor test in Maharashtra as a “victory for democracy” and asserted that it was a “slap” on the “illegitimate BJP-Ajit Pawar” government.
The opposition party also alleged that the BJP has brought a “black name” for democracy, while the Supreme Court on Constitution Day has given a gift to the nation by passing the order.
“The Supreme Court’s decision is a slap on an illegitimate BJP-Ajit Pawar Govt, who had hijacked the ‘mandate’. A government founded on fraud has been defeated on Constitution Day,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet.
Speaking to reporters after the Supreme Court order, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan expressed satisfaction over the court ordering a floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday, and said the alliance of the Congress, Shiv Sena and the NCP have a majority in the House.
“Sena, Cong, NCP are satisfied with the Supreme Court order of a floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly…We are confident that we have a majority in the Maharashtra Assembly. The reality of the BJP’s claim will be exposed tomorrow,” he said.
Abhishek Singhvi, senior Congress leader and the lawyer for the Congress and NCP in the case, said the BJP has “brought a black name for democracy and therefore we are very grateful that the Supreme Court on no less than on Law Day, now christened Constitution Day, has given a gift to the nation”.
“We welcome the Supreme Court decision to hold the Maharashtra floor test tomorrow. This is a victory for the Constitution of India, a victory for democracy and a victory of truth,” the Congress said on its official Twitter handle.
