2019 Maharashtra political crisis


A political crisis in the Indian state of Maharashtra occurred after the 2019 legislative assembly election over the formation of a new state government. With no political party able to prove their majority in the legislative assembly, president's rule was imposed in the state following a recommendation by the Governor.
The President's rule was later revoked and the Bharatiya Janata Party, led by former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, formed a government with the help of a small faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, led by Ajit Pawar. After three days, Fadnavis and Pawar resigned. A new government was formed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi, a new alliance of Shiv Sena, the Indian National Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party, under Uddhav Thackeray.

Background

The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has 288 seats. In the 2019 election, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 105 seats, Shiv Sena won 56, the Nationalist Congress Party won 54, and the Indian National Congress won 44. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and Samajwadi Party won two seats each while Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the Communist Party of India won one seat each. 23 seats were won by other parties and independents. 145 seats are required for a majority to form government.
Two alliances contested the election: the National Democratic Alliance or Maha Yuti, a BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, and the United Progressive Alliance or Maha-aghadi between the NCP and INC.

Crisis

After the declaration of election results on 24 October, Shiv Sena declined to support the BJP to form the government, on demand an equal share in power which was promised by BJP. Shiv Sena also demanded the post of Chief Minister for 2.5 years according to 50-50 promise.
On 8 November 2019, the Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari invited the BJP to form a government as the single largest party. However, the BJP declined to form the government on 10 November because it was unable to attain a majority. The invitation passed to the second largest party, Shiv Sena, to form government. On 11 November, the Governor invited the NCP to form government. The next day, after the NCP also failed to gain majority support, the governor recommended president's rule to the Council of Ministers of India and the President. This was accepted, and president's rule was imposed. The discussions between Shiv Sena, NCP and INC ended with the formation of a new alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi. A consensus was finally achieved with Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray appointed Chief Minister after protracted negotiations.

First Government Formation

In the early hours of 23 November, the president's rule was revoked and BJP's Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Chief Minister for a second consecutive term, while NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister. On the other side, NCP chief Sharad Pawar announced that Ajit Pawar's decision to support the BJP was his own and not endorsed by the party. The NCP split into two factions: one led by Sharad Pawar and the other led by his nephew Ajit Pawar. Later in the day, Ajit Pawar was removed as the parliamentary party leader of the NCP. He clarified that, despite joining hands with BJP, he is an NCP worker and will remain so. The next day Shiv Sena, the NCP, and the INC petitioned the Supreme Court regarding the discretion of the state governor to invite BJP to form government. Shiv Sena also requested the Supreme Court order the new government to prove majority in the legislative assembly. On 26 November, the Supreme Court ordered the new government to prove the majority in the legislative assembly by the evening of the next day. The same day, Ajit Pawar and Fadnavis resigned as Deputy Chief Minister and Chief Minister.
Shiv Sena, the NCP, and the INC rounded up their MLAs after Fadnavis' oath and kept them sequestered in various hotels and buses to prevent horse-trading.

Second Government Formation

The Maha Vikas Aghadi ; a post-election alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and INC with other small parties such as the Samajwadi Party and Peasants and Workers Party of India staked the claim to form a new government under the chief ministership of Uddhav Thackeray. The MVA leaders met the governor and submitted a letter of support of MLAs of MVA. Thackeray was sworn-in as the 19th Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 28 November 2019 at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.

Timeline

; 9 November
; 10 November
; 11 November
; 12 November
; 22 November
; 23 November
; 24 November
; 26 November
; 28 November
; 30 November
; 1 December