Advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, on Monday told the Supreme Court that the list of legislators submitted by his client to Maharastra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to form government with BJP, is "legally correct".
"My list [granting support to BJP] was constitutionally, legally correct. There is nothing to show that I was not the NCP leader on November 22. I will resolve disputes within my party but this petition must end now," Singh told the court on behalf of Ajit Pawar.
The contentions were made after BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were sworn-in on Saturday morning, only to be snubbed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar who said the decision to support the BJP was not backed by him and was his nephew's personal one.
Subsequently, a petition was filed by Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress combined against the decision taken by the Maharastra Governor to invite BJP and NCP to form government in the state.
On the directions of the apex court, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta today handed over the original letter of the Governor inviting BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis to form the next government.
"If prima facie the documents shown to the court is original and true, then why should the Court further entertain this petition anymore. Let the Governor take decisions in his right discretion," Maninder Singh told the top court.
BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena bagged 56 seats, 54 seats went to NCP while Congress secured 44 seats in the 288-member Assembly.