Fadnavis likely to take charge as Maharashtra CM tomorrow

CHENNAI: It has been stated that the BJP is expected to form the State's government shortly after Uddhav Thackeray, the head of the Shiv Sena, offered his resignation. Devendra Fadnavis, the leader of BP, is rumoured to be taking the oath of office as the chief minister of Maharashtra on July 1.

Uddhav Thackeray announced on Facebook Live that he has resigned as the chief minister of Maharashtra minutes after the Supreme Court had mandated a floor test to demonstrate his majority in the state assembly. He said, “I am also resigning as member of the legislative council.”

Devendra Fadnavis, the state's BJP leader Chandrakant Patil, and other party officials are currently conducting a party meeting at Mumbai's Taj President hotel.

On the other hand, NCP leaders have started reaching Silver Oak hotel for a party meeting. Dilip Walse Patil, Praful Patel and Hasan Mushrif have also reached the venue for the meeting.

Uddhav Thackeray also resigned as Member of Legislative Council – 9 days after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was reduced to a minority with an unprecedented rebellion by the Shiv Sena legislators.

With this, the two-and-half year old, three-party Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress government experiment has collapsed, barely hours after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari ordered a floor test late on Tuesday night.

In a public speech to the state's residents on social media, Thackeray announced his resignation, saying, "I am quitting the post of CM," in the same calm, collected manner he had used frequently over the previous 2.5 years…With your blessings and cooperation, I could manage it till now… I especially wish to thank Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and both the parties for extending their cooperation,” he remarked.

Though admitting it was a much-delayed decision, Thackeray also noted how the NCP-Congress ministers on Wednesday instantly endorsed the suggestions to rename Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv.