Indian Polls

Mumbai, Nov 24 (PTI) The BJP on Sunday expressed confidence that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will prove his government's majority in the state Assembly, claiming he has the support of more than 170 MLAs.

Talking to reporters here, BJP leader Ashish Shelar said Fadnavis will provide a stable and strong government.

Mumbai, Nov 23 (PTI) The NCP on Saturday removed Ajit Pawar as its legislature party leader after he joined hands with the BJP to form government and took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state.

"The decision to sack Ajit Pawar was taken at the meeting of the party's MLAs here," party sources said.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar was present at the meeting.

Mumbai, Nov 23 (PTI) The month-long political impasse in Maharashtra ended dramatically on Saturday with Devendra Fadnavis returning as the chief minister, backed by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP

NCP's Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as the deputy chief minister

Bengaluru, Nov 19 (PTI) A total of 248 candidates including those belonging to the Congress, JD(S) and ruling BJP have filed their nominations for December 5 bypolls to 15 assembly constituencies in Karnataka, the scrutiny of which would take place on Tuesday, poll officials said.

A total of 353 nominations have been filed by the candidates, they said.

Ranchi, Nov 16 (PTI) Former MP Sharad Yadav on Saturday said he will campaign for the opposition alliance in the coming Jharkhand assembly elections.

Yadav who met jailed RJD supremo Lalu Prasad at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences here, said, "I will come on November 22 or 23 to campaign for the opposition alliance candidates."

Nagpur/Mumbai, Nov 15 (PTI) The first-ever Shiv Sena- NCP-Congress alliance in Maharashtra appears to be taking definitive shape with Sharad Pawar on Friday announcing the prospective government will complete five-year term and provide a development-oriented administration.

The three-party coalition, a new experiment in Maharashtra involving outfits with diverse ideologies, will be led by the Sena, leaders in the Uddhav Thackeray-party and the NCP said, settling the contentious leadership issue that resulted in the unraveling of the saffron alliance.

Nagpur, Nov 15 (PTI) NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said a Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government will be formed and it will complete five-year term as he ruled out the possibility of mid-term polls in Maharashtra which is currently under Presidents rule.

He said the three parties want to form a stable government which will be development-oriented.

There is no possibility of mid-term polls. This government will be formed and it will complete five years. We all will ensure this government runs for five years, Pawar told reporters here.

Mumbai, Nov 14 (PTI) The Shiv Sena on Thursday alleged that imposition of President's rule in Maharashtra was a "scripted act" and took a jibe at the governor, saying he has now given parties six months to form government.

It also said that former state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is shedding "crocodile tears" over the imposition of President's rule as power is still indirectly in the hands of the BJP.

New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant from the Union council of ministers with immediate effect, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson said.

Sawant's resignation has been accepted on advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to the spokesperson.

As advised by the prime minister, the president has directed that Union minister Prakash Javadekar be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises in addition to his existing portfolios, the spokesperson added.

Mumbai, Nov 12 (PTI) Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday rejected criticism that the Congress delayed its decision on supporting the Shiv Sena for government formation in the state.

Asked whether the Congress has agreed to support the Shiv Sena to form government, Chavan said if that wasn't so, his party would not have held prolonged discussions in Delhi on Monday.