Mumbai: In an early morning political coup Saturday, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari made preparations to swear in a BJP-NCP government after President’s rule was revoked in the state.
At 7.50 am, Raj Bhavan came alive to the swearing-in proceedings and BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in for a second term as chief minister.
Ajit Pawar, the legislative party leader of the NCP, was sworn in as the deputy chief minister.
By the time the Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress woke up to a new day for discussions on government formation among them, the latest developments shocked them into a huddle.
As the political crisis deepens in Maharashtra, ThePrint traces the sequence of events from late Friday up until the swearing-in ceremony to create a timeline.
22 November
8.00 pm: NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress leaders hold a meeting to decide the contours of the government formation.
8.45 – 9 pm: Ajit Pawar leaves the meeting
10.00 – 10.30 pm: NCP chief Sharad Pawar tells reporters outside the meeting venue that all three parties have unanimously agreed over name of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as the next Maharashtra CM.
11.30 – 11.50 pm: Ajit Pawar finalises a deal to support a BJP government in Maharashtra.
23 November
12 am: Devendra Fadnavis contacts his party top brass and says that a swearing-in ceremony can take place before daylight.
12.15 – 12.40 am: Governor B.S. Koshyari cancels his scheduled visit to Delhi. He was scheduled to travel in the morning.
12.30 am: Koshyari asks his secretary to take the necessary steps to revoke President’s Rule.
2.30 – 2.45 am: The secretary informs the Governor that it will take at least two hours for the revocation papers to be ready. The secretary also says that the swearing-in can take place by 7.30 am.
5.30 am: Ajit Pawar reaches Raj Bhavan. Devendra Fadnavis reaches too at the same time, but separately.
5.47 am: Governor revokes President’s Rule.
7.50 am: Koshyari starts the swearing-in ceremony. Devendra Fadnavis is sworn in as the new chief minister and Ajit Pawar as his deputy.
8.45 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates Fadnavis and Pawar on the government formation.