PM Modi wanted us to work together, I rejected his offer: Sharad Pawar

Pawar made the claim in an interview to a Marathi TV channel on Monday.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed “working together” but he rejected the offer. Pawar made the claim in an interview to a Marathi TV channel on Monday. “Modi had offered me to work together. I told him that our personal relations are very good and they will remain that way but it is not possible for me to work together,” Pawar said.

Pawar dismissed reports that Modi government offered to make him India’s President. “But there surely was an offer to make Supriya (Sule) a minister in the Modi-led cabinet,” he added. Supriya Sule is Sharad Pawar‘s daughter and a Lok Sabha member from Baramati in Pune district. Pawar had met Modi last month amid the dramatic developments over government formation in Maharashtra.

Modi has always praised Pawar and made it a point not to launch a vicious attack against him during the state election campaign. Modi’s latest praise for Pawar came last month when he was speaking on the occasion of 250th session of the Rajya Sabha. Modi said other parties, including the BJP, should learn from the NCP on how to adhere to parliamentary norms.

In 2016, when Modi visited the Vasantdada Sugar Institute in Pune on an invitation from Pawar, he had praised the NCP chief as an example to others in public life. “I have personal respect for Pawar. I was the Gujarat chief minister that time. He helped me walk by holding my finger. I feel proud to pronounce this publicly,” Modi had said.

Maharashtra: SC reserves order for Tuesday, govt defends governor

The Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, and the Congress–the combine that had expected to govern Maharashtra–are expected to challenge the BJP in Parliament which resumes after the weekend.

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday, 10.30am, rule on petitions challenging the Bharatiya Janata Party forming a government in Maharashtra, reserving its judgment after hearing arguments by lawyers of the central government and the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress combine.

The three parties argued that BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis doesn’t have the numbers to be chief minister, taking their fight separately to Parliament. BJP and the central government lawyers said Fadnavis will prove his majority, but the court didn’t have the power to direct Maharashtra’s governor to fix a deadline for a floor test in the Assembly.

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Supreme Court reserves order on Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress petition for Tuesday 10.30 am.

Leaders of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress submitted letter to Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, saying they have the required numbers to form government, reports PTI. The ‘Maha Vikas Aghadi’, the post-poll alliance formed by the three parties, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis “does not have the required numbers”. The letter was signed by Eknath Shinde, Jayant Patil and Balasaheb Thorat, the legislature party leaders of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.

SC asks Abhishek Manu Singhvi to withdraw plea

Supreme Court asks Abhishek Manu Singhvi, lawyer for Congress and NCP, to withdraw fresh petition with affidavits of 154 Maharashtra MLAs supporting Opposition combine as it has not been supplied to the BJP, reports PTI. Whatever you file in court, you need to give to other side: court tells Singhvi, who withdraws the plea.

SC can’t review Governor’s discretionary power: BJP, govt lawyers

Governor’s discretionary power cannot be judicially reviewed: BJP lawyer Mukul Rohatgi tells Supreme Court. Governor in absolute discretion invited largest party—the BJP—on November 23: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta tells court…..Click Here

More talks are needed on Maharashtra: Pawar after meeting Sonia Gandhi

Keeping his cards close to his chest, Pawar said he only discussed the political situation in Maharashtra with Sonia Gandhi

After a meeting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday queered the pitch for the Shiv Sena in formation of a new government in Maharashtra, saying this issue was not discussed and remained non-committal in forging an alliance with its political rival.

As the deadlock over the government formation entered the 26th day with no signs of an early resolution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set tongues wagging when he praised the NCP, the Congress’ prepoll ally, in the Rajya Sabha (RS) for strictly “adhering to parliamentary norms”. Maharashtra is currently under President’s rule.

Addressing the RS on the occasion of its 250th session, Modi said, “Today I want to appreciate two parties, NCP and Biju Janata Dal (BJD). These parties have strictly adhered to parliamentary norms.” The BJD headed by Naveen Patnaik is the ruling party in Odisha. Modi said the members of the two parties never rush to the Well of the House to raise their issues and yet highlight their points effectively.

Keeping his cards close to his chest, Pawar said he only discussed the political situation in Maharashtra with Sonia Gandhi and that the NCP and the Congress will hold talks with their other allies before taking a decision on government formation. Pawar, whose meeting with Gandhi at her residence in Delhi was being billed as a major step towards a possible tie-up with the Shiv Sena, said if the NCP and the Congress have to…

Read More: Maharashtra Political Crisis

29 activists arrested after clash with police as Aarey tree cutting starts

The police on Saturday imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Aarey, restricting movements and gathering of groups, and cordoned off the area

Clashes broke out between the police and green activists who tried to stop tree cutting by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) in Aarey Colony in north Mumbai on Friday night and Saturday, leading to arrest of at least 29 persons.

The police on Saturday imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Aarey, restricting movements and gathering of groups, and cordoned off the area. Several people were detained, including NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, sena leader and fomer Mayor Shubha Raul, at the site. Activists also tried to get relief from the Bombay High Court, by approaching the court again on Saturday and seeking a stay to tree cutting, so that they could approach the Supreme Court. But the bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and A K Menon, who granted the petitioners an urgent hearing in the chamber, refused to grant a stay.

The protests began on Friday evening when MMRCL, within hours of the High Court dismissing four petitions challenging the permission granted by the civic body’s tree authority to fell about 2700 trees, started the tree cutting. During the night, activists alleged, over 200 trees were cut. Opposition parties slammed the ruling Sena-BJP, stating they failed to save the trees. Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray also criticised the MMRCL and backed the protesters.

At least 38 protesters were booked under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from duty) and 143 (unlawful assembly). “There is a heavy police deployment in the area. No one is allowed to enter Aarey Colony. Even tourists are being stopped,” said an activist…

Read Full Source: Aarey Forest