"Victory for Democracy": Devendra Fadnavis hails SC's judgment over Shiv Sena-centric crisis in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday called the Supreme Court's verdict on Maharashtra political crisis a victory for democracy and democratic process.

He expressed his satisfaction over the decision and said, "This is a victory for democracy and the democratic process. We are satisfied with the verdict given by the Supreme Court."

"I express my complete satisfaction over the Supreme Court's decision. Those who were speculating that this government will collapse today have been silenced (by the verdict)," PTI quoted him as saying


The deputy chief minister also discussed Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's remarks asking Eknath Shinde's resignation. Fadnavis said, "It doesn't suit Uddhav Thackeray to talk about morality. I want to ask him if had he forgotten his morals when he went with NCP&Congress for CM post.He had not resigned on moral grounds but due to fear after people who were with him left him."

Thackeray had also called the state government illegitimate. Responding to that remark, Fadnavis said, "Today, Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) conspiracy has been defeated. Now, no one should doubt that the Maharashtra government is completely legal."

Earlier, the Supreme Court held the Maharashtra governor was not justified in calling upon then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to prove majority in the Assembly on June 30 last year but refused to order status quo ante, saying he did not face the floor test and resigned.

In a unanimous verdict on a batch of pleas related to the political crisis that led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Thackeray following a revolt by the Eknath Shinde faction, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud held that House speaker's decision to appoint Bharat Gogawale of the Shinde faction as the whip of Shiv Sena was "illegal".

It, however, said since Thackeray had resigned without facing the floor test, the governor was justified in inviting Shinde to form government at the behest of the BJP which was the largest political party in the house.

(With inputs from agencies)