JUST IN: Uddhav Thackeray has talked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over phone and invited him to tomorrow's oath taking ceremony.

This was in addition to an invitation letter which was sent to PM Modi.  -- ANI

In the backdrop of its alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the Congress on Wednesday said there could be more such 'pragmatic formations' in other parts of the country as it was imperative for all parties to come together to halt the Bharatiya Janata Party's march.

Congress spokesperson Rajeev Gowda alleged that attempts by the ruling party to run roughshod over every other political party, including its own allies, were witnessed in the last few years.

"So, what we have seen is regrouping within the country of various forces in a very very pragmatic manner," he said, when asked whether the Maharashtra episode was the beginning of a new impetus and alliances among the opposition parties.

An alternative model that 'does not divide, but unite, that gives hope rather than create anxiety and fear, that is what these pragmatic formations are working to demonstrate', Gowda said.

"So, you will see more of these and you will see that the map of India is changing already. Today you can once again go from Kanyakumari to Kashmir without going through a BJP-ruled state," he said.

The 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' comprising the ideologically opposites Shiv Sena and the Congress, as well as the Nationalist Congress Party, has rallied behind Uddhav Thackeray for government formation in Maharashtra.

Thackeray is set to take oath as chief minister at a public ceremony in Mumbai on Thursday.  -- PTI

Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray visited residences of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh to invite them for the swearing-in ceremony of Uddhav Thackeray as the chief minister of Maharashtra, tomorrow.

"We met Sonia Gandhi ji and Dr Manmohan Singh ji as their guidance and blessings are necessary. Now we are returning to Mumbai," Thackeray said.

Thackeray junior was accompanied by his father's close aide Milind Narvekar.  -- ANI

Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray leaves from the residence of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi.

He had gone there to invite her for the swearing in ceremony of Uddhav Thackeray as Maharashtra Chief Minister, in Mumbai tomorrow.

He was accompanied by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's close aide Milind Narvekar.

"We came here to seek her blessings. We will also invite Dr Manmohan Singh," Aditya said after meeting Sonia.  -- with ANI inputs

Nationalist Congress Party's Praful Patel addresses media after attending meeting of NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena MLAs in Mumbai:

After a six-hour meeting between the leaders of the three parties, Patel said that some ministers of the alliance government will take oath along with the CM at Shivaji Park tomorrow.

"It's not decided yet how many ministers will take oath with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray tomorrow.

"How many ministers will take oath will be decided tonight. One or two MLAs from each party will take oath as ministers. Speaker has been decided by all three parties, Speaker will be from Congress and Deputy Speaker from NCP," Patel said.

This means that there won't be any deputy CM from the Congress.

Patel said that the expansion of the cabinet will take place only after the trust vote on December 3.

He said that the parties have reached a consensus over government formation and over portfolios and there's no need of further discussion.  -- ANI

Leaders of the 'Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi' (MVA) met in  Mumbai on Wednesday, a day ahead of Chief Minister-designate Uddhav Thackeray's oath-taking ceremony as the process of forming the new council of ministers gathered momentum.

The meeting is taking place at the Y B Chavan Centre in South Mumbai.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Thackeray, who is also the Sena president, and Congress veteran Ahmed Patel are among the leaders holding parleys over council of ministers and the swearing-in ceremony, to be held at the Shivaji Park in Dadar on Thursday evening.

Congress general secretary in-charge for Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge joined the leaders later.

The meeting follows Pawar's parleys with Patel, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal and others at the former's residence in Mumbai earlier in the day.

The Sena, the NCP and the Congress on Tuesday named Thackeray as the chief ministerial nominee of the MVA, the three-party front forming the next government in the state.

Ever since the Sena reached out to the NCP and the Congress for a post-poll alliance, Pawar has been at the centre of government formation talks between the three main constituents of the newly-minted bloc.  -- PTI

In a rare move, the Lok Sabha saw a response to all 20 oral questions on Wednesday, which Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi termed as a 'record' in recent times.

A member also expressed surprise that his turn to ask a question to the minister came so quickly.

"I congratulate all the members and ministers for their cooperation due to which we could complete all 20 questions," Speaker Om Birla said.

Joshi said completing all the questions during the Question Hour was a record in recent times.

"In recent history, it is a record that all the 20 questions have been taken on record and oral answers have been placed before the House. I congratulate you and thank all the honourable members. On behalf of the entire House, I once again thank the honourable speaker for the same," he said.

The first hour of the Lok Sabha is usually the Question Hour, where members get an opportunity to ask questions to ministers directly.

However, all questions cannot usually be taken up due to a paucity of time.  -- PTI

Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar, who shocked his party and family after joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday and became deputy chief minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government, on Wednesday said what he did could not be termed a revolt.

He also reiterated that he continues to be with the NCP and would abide by whatever party chief Sharad Pawar says.

"It was not a revolt. I was the leader of NCP. Did NCP remove me? Did you read (about my removal from NCP) somewhere?" Ajit Pawar told reporters.

"I have been telling all that I was in the NCP, I am in NCP and will be in NCP," he said.

Ajit Pawar resigned as Dy CM citing personal reasons on Tuesday, following which Fadnavis too stepped down as chief minister, leading to collapse of the BJP-led government.  -- PTI

"Apart from chief minister, Shiv Sena to have 15 ministers, NCP to have deputy chief minister and 13 other ministers. Congress to have assembly speaker and 13 ministers," sources told ANI.   

This comes amid the ongoing talks of the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena to give shape to the new government to be formed under Uddhav Thackeray.   

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat said the sharing of portfolios among the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in the next state government will be finalised in a couple of days.   

After the BJP-led government collapsed on Tuesday, Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress along with some small allies and Independents chose Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as the chief minister of Maharashtra. He is scheduled take oath on Thursday at Shivaji Park at 6.40 pm.   

The oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected MLAs was conducted in a special session of the Maharashtra assembly on Wednesday after days of political uncertainty in the state.   

They were administered oath by newly appointed pro-tem speaker Kalidas Kolambkar.   

Today's session comes a day after BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis resigned as Maharashtra chief minister merely three days after he took oath in a controversial turn of events.   

Yesterday evening, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and staked claim to form the government, following which the governor announced that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will take oath as the chief minister of the state.   

Students from across the national capital formed a human chain in Connaught Place on Wednesday in solidarity with the Jawaharlal Nehru University's Students' Union (JNUSU), which is protesting against the hostel fee hike.

The JNUSU had urged universities and students across India to observe November 27 as the National Protest Day in support of affordable and accessible education.  -- PTI

The saffron party also pledged job for at least one member of every below-poverty-line (BPL) family, if re-elected to power in the state. 

It assured to provide financial assistance to school students hailing from backward and poor families. 

Every student of Classes 9 and 10 will receive Rs 2,200 and that of Classes 11 and 12 Rs 7,500 as scholarships, said the manifesto, which was released by Prasad in Ranchi, in the presence of Chief Minister Raghubar Das, Union Tribal Minister Arjun Munda and BJPs state unit president Laxman Gilua.

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to amend the SPG Act.

According to the amendment, the SPG will now protect the prime minister and members of his immediate family residing with him at his official residence.

It will also provide security to former prime ministers and their immediate family members staying with them at the residence allotted for a period of five years from the date on which they cease to hold the office.  -- PTI

It is an affront to the 166 innocent victims and their families that the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack have still not been convicted, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.

In one of the deadliest terror attacks in India's history, 166 people, including six Americans, were killed and over 300 injured when 10 heavily-armed Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) terrorists from Pakistan created mayhem in Mumbai on November 26, 2008.

Pompeo, talking to reporters at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department here, said the cowardly attack 'shocked the entire world'.

"Today also marks the 11th anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attack. We remember the 166 innocent victims, including six Americans," he said.

'It is an affront' to the victims and families that those who did the Mumbai attack 'have still not been convicted', Pompeo said, apparently referring to chief of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) Hafiz Saeed and others escaping punishment for their role in the Mumbai terror attack.

Saeed, a UN designated terrorist and founder of the LeT, was arrested on July 17 this year in a terror financing case in Pakistan.

The US Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

The US has also offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice.

In a separate tweet, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice Wells also expressed deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.

"The US honours their memories and is committed to seeing those responsible for these horrific acts brought to justice," Wells said.

Meanwhile, a large number of Indian-Americans and members of the Pakistani minority and ethnic communities gathered in front of the Embassy of Pakistan to protest against the country's role in supporting cross border terrorist activities.

They demanded that the perpetrators of the terrorist attack be brought to justice.   -- PTI

The meeting between the two top leaders is taking place in the wake of Pawar's parleys with senior Congress functionaries Ahmed Patel, K C Venugopal and others earlier in the day. 

Pawar and Thackeray, chief of the Shiv Sena, are expected to discuss issues related to the latter's ministerial council and the swearing-in ceremony, to be held at Shivaji Park in Dadar on Thursday evening. 

The Sena, the NCP and the Congress on Tuesday named Thackeray as the chief ministerial nominee of their 'Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi' that will form the next government in the state. 

Ever since the Shiv Sena reached out to the NCP and the Congress for a pre-poll alliance, Pawar has been at the centre of government formation talks between the three parties.

"Impression is being created that the SPG Act is amended to withdrew security from the Gandhi family. Security of the Gandhi family has not been withdrawn but changed to 'Z-plus' with advance security liaison and ambulance that will be given across the country," he said.

Shah said when the SPG security cover was withdrawn from former prime ministers Chandra Shekhar, IK Gujral and Manmohan Singh, no one uttered a word. The SPG amendment bill has been brought days after the government decided to withdraw the SPG security of the Gandhi family and replaced it with the 'Z-plus' security cover by the CRPF. -- PTI

The broader NSE Nifty gained 63 points or 0.52 per cent to settle at a new peak of 12,100.70. Yes Bank was the biggest gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying 7.65 per cent, followed by SBI which rose 2.43 per cent. Maruti gained 2.38 per cent, Sun Pharma 1.87 per cent and HUL by 1.78 per cent. 

On the other hand, L&T was the top loser, ending 2.05 per cent lower. ICICI Bank, ITC, Tata Steel, NTPC and Axis Bank too closed in red. According to analysts, sustained foreign fund inflow amid positive cues from global markets buoyed the market sentiment. -- PTI

"The people of Mandya have deserted me. I never wanted my son to contest the election but because of your insistence I fielded him," said Kumaraswamy as he broke down during a public meeting at Kikkeri village in Mandya district. The KR Pet segment became vacant following the disqualification of K C Narayana Gowda of JDS by the then speaker K R Ramesh Kumar. -- PTI

File pic.

He said moral and ethics have been distorted just to keep the BJP out of power. "Is it not horse-trading to take support by offering chief minister's position. I am again telling Sonia Gandhi and Sharad Pawar to claim chief minister's post and then take Shiv Sena's support," Shah said. 

The minister said the BJP has been accused of horse-trading while the newly formed SS-NCP-INC alliance has stole the entire stable along with the CM's post. "I again want to make it clear that we had not given any assurance of chief minister's position to Shiv Sena. Even in election rallies, when Aditya and Uddhav Thackeray were on stage we had said Devendra Fadnavis will be chief minister. Why they didn't oppose it then?" he said. 

The minister said he was of the firm belief that the people of the country don't get misled by such vote bank politics and they are still with the BJP. "All MLAs of Shiv Sena have won elections contesting with us. There is not a single MLA of Shiv Sena who had not used cutouts of Narendra Modi. In their assembly seats, they used bigger cutouts of Modi than in seats where the BJP contested. Do people of the country and Maharashtra not know this," he said.

Shah said people have accepted the Modi government's politics of performance over vote bank politics. They have become mature and discredited decadent issues of family politics and money-muscle power politics, he said. -- PTI

"That is the way they celebrate Constitution Day. That is the honour they show to the Constitution. The Governor, the Prime Minister and President are all responsible for the midnight affair," the 74-year senior Congress lead said.

"It is sad that the President is involved. I am deeply sad that the President was woken up at 4 in the morning," Chidambaram said while stepping out of the crowded courtroom here. Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar extended Chidambaram's judicial custody till December 11 in the INX Media money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate. -- PTI

NCP's Ajit Pawar, has clearly been forgiven for rebelling against his party. Reports say he will replace Jayant Patil as the leader of the legislative party, a post he had held, till he decided to switch sides to the BJP. 

Pawar, who joined hands with the BJP last week to form government in Maharashtra but quit it later, attended a meeting of his party legislators

in Mumbai today and guided them on various issues, party MLA

Dhananjay Munde said.

Munde was one of the NCP leaders who had joined rank with Pawar in his bid to form government with the BJP. 

The leaders discussed issues relating to Thursday's swearing-in ceremony of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister, Assembly Speaker's election, confidence motion and programmes to be organised to mark NCP chief Sharad Pawar's 80th birthday on December 12, he said.

"We discussed the confidence motion. Dada (Ajit Pawar) also attended the meeting. He guided us besides (Sunil) Tatkare saheb and (NCP state chief) Jayant Patil saheb," Munde, the MLA from Parli seat, told reporters.

"Dada said we are united. I had said earlier too. (Sharad) Pawar Saheb's leadership is the ultimate leadership," Munde added. 

The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage, and Advertisement) Bill, 2019 was passed after a detailed reply by Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan.

The bill seeks to replace an ordinance brought by the government earlier. The amendments moved by the opposition members were negated.

The bill provides for punishment for contravention of provisions of the Act with imprisonment which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees or with both.Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said the government had banned e-cigarettes to nip the evil in the bud and they have an adverse impact on the cardiovascular system, adolescent brains and cause cancer.

He accused previous governments of amending the original law from time to time to "dilute" it, an apparent reference to the earlier decision to give the elite SPG cover to members of the Gandhi family, which included Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Priyanka. The Modi government recently withdrew the SPG cover from the Gandhi family members. PTI

"Inputs indicate that attempts are being made by Pakistan-based terror outfits to reactivate its camp at Balakot and restart their religious and Jihadi indoctrination courses against India," he said replying a written question. 

The fighters of the Indian Air Force had bombed and destroyed the terror camp at Balakot on February 26 after terrorists attacked a convoy of CRPF vehicles, killing 40 jawans on February 14. 

Reddy said the government has adopted a policy of zero-tolerance towards terrorism and the security forces are taking effective and continuous action in countering it as a result of which a large number of terrorists have been neutralised in Jammu and Kashmir during the past few years.

The minister said in Jammu and Kashmir, this year till November 17, as many as 594 terror incidents have taken place in which 37 civilians and 79 security personnel were killed. He said a total of 614 terrorist incidents have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018 in which 39 civilians and 91 security personnel were killed.  

Image: The terror camp at Balakot which was decimated by the IAF in February 2019

Schools in Kalpa and Pooh blocks of the district of Himachal Pradesh have been closed. The temperatures in these two districts are likely to be in the range of -1 degrees Celsius to 8 degrees Celsius for the next two days, predicted India Meteorological Department.

A yellow weather warning was also issued last week for heavy rain and snowfall in eight districts -- Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Kinnaur, and Lahaul-Spiti.The IMD issues color-coded warnings to alert the public ahead of severe or hazardous weather, with 'yellow' indicating least danger. 

The minister said that the region has been facing terror incidents for the past 35 years and security forces were dealing with them effectively. He was responding to the matter raised by Congress member K Suresh who referred to Tuesday's terror attack in Kashmir and accused the government of misleading the house about normalcy returning to the Valley after the abrogation of Article 370.

"The terror incidents have almost come to nil...normalcy is fast returning to Kashmir," Singh said. The minister said if there is any terror incident, the entire House condemns it. He said no major terror incident had taken place outside Kashmir in any other part of the country. -- ANI

Raut also said it will not be surprising if the Shiv Sena forms government at the Centre after having installed its chief minister (Uddhav Thackeray) in Maharashtra.

The BJP last Saturday formed government in Maharashtra with the support of NCP's Ajit Pawar, after being unable to do so initially for want of numbers. But the government led by Devendra Fadnavis collapsed on Tuesday after Pawar resigned as his deputy, citing "personal reasons". 

"The BJP could not impose its CM despite its 'aghori' attempts in Maharashtra. This is because there is a dissent among the people of Maharashtra," Raut told reporters. "The beginning of change is taking place from Maharashtra... Maharashtra has shown a new dawn to the country," the Rajya Sabha member said.

Raut said people did not believe him earlier when he stated that the Shiv Sena's 'suryayaan' will land safely on the sixth floor of Mantralaya (secretariat), implying the party would install its chief minister in the state. 

The chief minister's office is located on the sixth floor of the state secretariat. "But, our 'suryayaan' has safely landed and you shouldn't be surprised if the suryayaan lands in Delhi," he added. 

Raut, considered as one of the key architects of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government, also said he has fulfilled his responsibility and would now focus on his job. The Rajya Sabha member is also the executive editor of Shiv Sena's mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

To a question, Raut said he is a fighter and a Shiv Sena worker and not 'Chanakya'. The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress on Tuesday named Thackeray as their chief ministerial nominee. Thackeray will be sworn-in on Thursday.

The newly-elected Shiv Sena leader was congratulated by members cutting across party lines. The 29-year-old son of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray went up to all senior members to greet them.

Uddhav Thackeray will be take oath as Maharashtra CM, the first from the family to assume office, at 6:40 pm at Shivaji Park tomorrow. 

A special session of the 14th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly commenced in Mumbai on Wednesday to administer oath to the newly-elected members. NCP MP Supriya Sule greeted party MLAs Ajit Pawar and Rohit Pawar at Vidhan Bhawan entrance before the commencement

Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis remained non-committal when asked if if was a mistake to ally with NCP leader Ajit Pawar. "I will say the right thing at the right time, don't worry," Fadnavis, who resigned yesterday afternoon as Maharashtra CM said.  

"In the end, he admitted his mistake. It is a family matter and Pawar Sahib has forgiven him. He is very much in the party and his position in the party has not changed," Malik told ANI while replying to a question about Ajit Pawar.

Ajit Pawar has also said that he was with NCP and is still with the party"I have already said that I was with NCP and I am with NCP. Have they expelled me? Have you heard or read this anywhere? I am still with NCP", Pawar told reporters.

Fadnavis resigned as Maharashtra Chief Minister on Tuesday afternoon merely three days after he took oath in a controversial turn of events.

NCP has earlier replaced Ajit Pawar as legislature party leader with Jayant Patil.Sharad Pawar has earlier said that Ajit Pawar's decision to support the BJP to form the Maharashtra Government is his personal decision and not that of the NCP.

On Tuesday, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and staked claim to form the government in Maharashtra.Shiv Sena announced that Uddhav Thackeray will take oath as the Chief Minister of the state on November 28.

He also said that the Pawars "stand united" and will remain so. Ajit Pawar called on his uncle and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar late Tuesday night, after first having joined hands with the BJP to form government in Maharashtra and then quitting it. "I could not trust how it happened. As a worker, I did not go into the details of it. There was some confusion being a family member, I could not understand what was happening," Rohit Pawar, who is the grandson of Sharad Pawar's elder brother Appasaheb Pawar, told a news channel. 

He made the remarks when asked about what he felt when Ajit Pawar took oath as deputy chief minister after tying up with the BJP last Saturday. "But we were sure (about his return). We knew Dada well," Rohit Pawar said. Praising Ajit Pawar, he said the former deputy chief minister is a very capable administrator and key for the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress' 'Maharashtra Vikas Aaghadi' that will form government in the state.

"So, I felt happy as a family member and also as NCP worker when Dada met Saheb (Sharad Pawar) yesterday," he said. Rohit Pawar also accused the BJP of employing the tactic of poaching leaders from other parties. "They tried to use that style (trick) to some extent in this case. Dada may have not liked that style and then met Saheb. I hope we will soon be able to serve people under his (Ajit Pawar's) guidance," Rohit said. 

"Yesterday, hours before stepping down as Chief Minister, Fadnavis took a jibe at the Congress-National Congress Party-Shiv Sena coalition government in the state stating, "Even an autorickshaw runs on three wheels, but if the three wheels work in three directions, we know what happens. That is what is in store for the Sena-NCP-Congress government."

Chavan, while commenting on the common minimum programme said, " our main objective is to keep BJP out."Yesterday, Fadnavis resigned in the afternoon as Maharashtra Chief Minister merely three days after he took oath in a controversial turn of events.

Later in the evening, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and staked claim to form the government in Maharashtra, following which the Governor announced that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will take oath as the Chief Minister of the state on November 28. -- ANI

CARTOSAT-3, India's most complex and advanced earth imaging satellite built so far, was placed into orbit 17 minutes and 46 seconds after lift-off, the immediate mission after Chandrayaan 2, where the lander crashed while making a soft descent on the lunar surface on September 7. 

All the 13 nano satellites from the US were released into the orbit at 26 minutes and 56 seconds after liftoff, ISRO said. ISRO Chairman K Sivan and other scientists broke into cheers as the earth imaging and mapping satellite was injected precisely into the desired orbit. -- PTI

"What will remain in memory of Constitution Day 2019 is the most egregious violation of the Constitution in Maharashtra between November 23 and November 26, 2019," Chidambaram said in a tweet posted by his family on his behalf. 

"It was an assault on the office of Rasthrapathi to wake him up at 4.00 am to sign an order revoking President's Rule. Why could it not have waited until 9.00 am in the morning?," he asked in the tweet. Chidmbaram, who is lodged in jail in cases of corruption and money laundering, also extended  greetings to the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition that is set to form government in Maharashtra. PTI

Speaking to reporters after taking oath as member of the 14th state Assembly on Wednesday, Thorat, the Congress Legislature Party leader in the House, said, "The ratio of portfolio-sharing will be finalised in next two days. The number of Cabinet and Minister of State (MoS) posts to be given to each party will also be finalised in next two days." 

The NCP has announced that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray would be the next chief minister of Maharashtra. He will be sworn in CM on Thursday evening at Shivaji Park in Dadar, the place where his party holds traditional Dussehra rally each year. Thackeray is currently not a member of any House in the state legislature. Asked whether Congress president Sonia Gandhi or party leader Rahul Gandhi would attend Thackeray's swearing-in ceremony, Thorat said, "Nothing has been finalised so far on this." He also said that there will be more clarity on some issues, like speaker of the Assembly, after a couple of days. Asked about rumours that he may be appointed the deputy chief minister, Thorat said, "I am not aware of any such possibility so far. I can't comment on any such speculation." PTI

Image: Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his wife Rashmi meet Maharashtra governor BS Koshyari this morning.

"No decision has been taken on who will be Deputy Chief Minister," said Thorat. The oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected MLAs began in Maharashtra Assembly in a special session on Wednesday after days of political uncertainty in the state. The oath is being administered by newly appointed pro-tem speaker Kalidas Kolambkar at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.

Today's session comes a day after BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis resigned as Maharashtra Chief Minister merely three days after he took oath in a controversial turn of events.

Yesterday evening, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and staked claim to form the government, following which the Governor announced that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will take oath as the Chief Minister of the state. -- ANI

"I have nothing to say (right now), I will speak at the right time. I had said earlier also, I am in the NCP and I will remain in the NCP. There is no reason to create confusion," Ajit Pawar told reporters.

On his late Tuesday night visit to 'Silver Oak', his uncle and NCP president Sharad Pawar's residence, Ajit Pawar said, "It is my right to meet my leader."

The NCP legislator, who won the October 21 state polls from Pune's Baramati seat with a margin of 1.65 lakh votes, shocked his party and family last Saturday after he joined hands with the BJP and became deputy chief minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government. 

The NCP subsequently sacked him as its legislature unit leader the same day. However, he continues to be a member of the party. Ajit Pawar on Tuesday resigned as Dy CM citing "personal reason", following which Fadnavis too stepped down as chief minister, leading to collapse of the BJP-led government. PTI

Image: Ghar wapsi: Supriya Sule is all smiles as she hugs her cousin Ajit Pawar this morning ahead of the swearing-in of Maharashtra MLAs. When Ajit Pawar left the party to align with the BJP, she had tweeted that she had never felt as hurt as she did by Ajit's move. 

"We are happy that Ajit Pawar has come back. He is also here today. He is a part of NCP. Going forward, we would work under his guidance," said Rohit Pawar.

The oath-taking ceremony of newly-elected MLAs began in Maharashtra Assembly in a special session on Wednesday after days of political uncertainty and surprising turn of events in the state. 

The oath is being administered by newly appointed pro-tem speaker Kalidas Kolambkar here at the Raj Bhavan.Today's session comes a day after BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis resigned as Maharashtra Chief Minister on Tuesday merely three days after he took oath in a controversial turn of events.

Later in the evening, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and staked claim to form the government, following which the Governor announced that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will take oath as the Chief Minister of the state. -- ANI

As the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance is set to form the government in Maharashtra, newly-elected BJP MLA Ram Satpute on Wednesday said that their government will not last for many days.

"We will work as a good Opposition under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis. This government will be only there for a few days. This government is of 'Jayachandon' (a character in Mahabharata referring to betrayal) and will not continue for many days," Satpute said.

On Tuesday, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kalidas Kolambkar had taken oath as the Protem Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly at the Raj Bhavan.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited the Tihar jail on Wednesday to meet former finance minister P Chidambaram.

  

The senior Congress leader was first arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on August 21 in the INX Media corruption case and was granted bail by the Supreme Court on October 22. 

He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case on October 16 and is in judicial custody till November 27 under the order of a trial court. 

Speaking to the media at the assembly, she said, "We are happy that finally the dream of Balasaheb ji Thackeray is being fulfilled. 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' will be led by Uddhav Thackeray, guided by Sharad Pawar and Sonia ji madam has made immense contribution to it, so we will do great work for Maharashtra."

NCP leader Ajit Pawar takes oath in Maharashtra assembly. 

A day before he resigned as the deputy chief minister from the Devendra Fadnavis government.

On Wednesday at 8 am, all 288 MLAs of Maharashtra have begun taking oath in a special assembly session called by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, less than 24 hours after the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis resigned as Chief Minister and the NCP's Ajit Pawar as his deputy.

Interim Speaker Kalidas Kolambkar is overseeing the oath ceremony.

Ahead of the oath ceremony, Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar, shared a tender moment outside the assembly, where Sule welcomed Jr Pawar with a hug. 

She also said, "I have never had a rift with Dada (Ajit Pawar). Everyone has a role in the party. It is their duty to carry the party forward."

All 288 newly-elected MLAs of Maharashtra have begun taking oath in a special assembly session called by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, less than 24 hours after the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis resigned as Chief Minister and the NCP's Ajit Pawar as his deputy.

Interim Speaker Kalidas Kolambkar, who was appointed by the Governor after swift developments on Tuesday propelled the NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena combine to form government, will oversee the oath ceremony.

"Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has called a special session of the legislative assembly on Wednesday. The session would begin at 8 am for the oath-taking ceremony of the 288 members," an official of the Governor's office said on Tuesday.

The newly-elected MLAs couldn't take oath even a month after the results of the assembly election were announced after the Shiv Sena declined to go with the BJP to form government due to a tussle over chief ministership.

The newly formed combine Maha Vikas Aghadi sent a letter to the Governor claiming the support of 166 MLAs. The MVA has agreed on Mr Thackeray the chief minister.

Supriya Sule welcomes Ajit Pawar with a hug at the oath-taking ceremony.

Supriya Sule welcomed cousin Ajit Pawar with a warm smile as he came along with other NCP leaders to join the MLAs at the swearing-in ceremony. 

Ajit Pawar had earlier pulled off a major coup against Sharad Pawar to join Devendra Fadnavis to form the government.

Ajit Pawar's resignation as Maharashtra deputy chief minister on Tuesday afternoon, which led to the collapse of the four-day-old government headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, came amidst sustained persuasion by members of his family and senior Nationalist Congress Party leaders, sources said.

Family and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar spoke to his prodigal nephew over the phone on Tuesday morning, asking him to revisit his decision to align with the BJP and stay in power.

In the morning, Ajit Pawar met with Sadanand Sule, husband of his cousin and Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule, at a hotel in south Mumbai, sources said.

Uddhav Thackeray will take oath as the chief minister at 6:40 pm on November 28 at Shivaji Park in Dadar. 

Uddhav Thackeray, who would be the first member of his family to occupy the top political post in the state, said his government will not be vindictive. 

"I will go to Delhi to meet my 'elder brother' after the government is formed," Uddhav Thackeray said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had called him "my younger brother" during campaign rallies. 

All 288 newly-elected MLAs of Maharashtra will take oath at 8 am today in a special assembly session called by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, less than 24 hours after the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis resigned as Chief Minister and the NCP's Ajit Pawar as his deputy.

Shiv Sena leader and newly-elected MLA Aaditya Thackeray visited the residence of Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on late Tuesday night.

Aaditya was accompanied by Sena leaders Anil Desai and Milind Narvekar.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who stepped down as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra after having broken ranks with NCP and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party, has been at Pawar's residence 'Silver Oak' since evening.  -- PTI