Maharashtra

The fast-paced political developments came after a routine meeting of his supporting MLAs and within hours, the decision was taken to walk out of the NCP.This afternoon, Pawar, along with several NCP heavyweights, went to Raj Bhavan .

The Chairperson of Maharashtra State Commission for Women, Rupali Chakankar, also slammed the incident, especially since it came just three days before the 298th birth anniversary of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar on May 31, and demanded action against those responsible for it.

The court said that neither the Constitution nor the laws enacted by Parliament provide for a mechanism by which disputes amongst members of a particular political party can be settled, and they certainly do not empower the Governor to enter the political arena and play a role (however minute) either in inter-party disputes or in intra-party disputes.

The JD(U) supremo shall be accompanied by Bihar Legislative Council Chairman Deveshchandra Thakur, and Cooperation Minister Sanjaykumar Jha for the meetings with the Maharashtra leaders, said JD(U) National Secretary, Kapil Patil. Last fortnight, Thakur had met both Pawar and Thackeray ahead of Nitish Kumar's plans to visit Maharashtra on May 11.

The banner, reportedly put up by his supporter/s, has hailed former CM Fadnavis as a Future CM', though the real reasons behind it are not clear. Unfazed by the abrupt promotion', Fadnavis, currently on election campaign in Karnataka, promptly told media persons that if it's so, "then just tear it up".

Speaking to the media, Sanjay Raut said that he has interacted with his party workers from Navi Mumbai and Raigad towns who have informed that the actual death toll is much higher than the official figures released by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's government.

"There is no such proposal, either oral or in writing from anyone... When this does not concern us or him (Ajit Pawar), why should there be such speculative reports," BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said. However, he said that anybody who is ready to accept the BJP's ideology is welcome to join the party, though ally and CM Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena leaders had aired differing views.

Since the past few days, leaders across the spectrum have been issuing varied or even contradictory statements on the 'restless' Ajit Pawar's probable step - doing an 'Eknath Shinde type' operation on the NCP. A bemused Ajit Pawar - the nephew of NCP President Sharad Pawar - dismissed all the rumours of his switching sides or joining the BJP, and even rubbished contentions that he had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Terming Malik's contentions on corruption, farmers and February 2019 Pulwama strikes as 'grave' and directly linked with national security, the Congress state president Nana Patole, Nationalist Congress Party Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase and Shiv Sena (UBT) National Spokesperson Kishore Tiwari have said they must be probed thoroughly.

In a sharp reaction, state Congress President Nana Patole challenged Bawankule to stop Gandhi from coming to this state and "doesn't need the BJP's permission" to visit whenever he wants. "Gandhi's visit to Mumbai is still not finalised but he will come to the state very soon... Nobody can stop him. The Congress activists will give him a rousing welcome.