Fadnavis quits as Maharashtra CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis submits his resignation to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan on Friday. Photograph: ANI

Mumbai, November 8 (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis resigned on Friday.

Fadnavis drove to Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai and submitted his resignation to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, sources said.

There has been no headway in government formation even a fortnight after assembly poll results were announced on October 24.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena are locked in a tussle over the issue of the chief minister's post, resulting in a stalemate in government formation despite the assembly poll results giving the alliance a combined seat strength of 161, way past the 145 majority mark in the 288-member House.

In the polls, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena-56, Nationalist Congress Party-54 and the Congress won 44 seats.

No talk of sharing CM's post with Sena: Fadnavis

Mumbai, Nov 8 (IANS) Outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday reiterated that there was never any talk of sharing the post of the CM between the allies, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena.

"There was no talk anytime of sharing the post of CM for two-and-half years each between the two parties... (Union Minister) Nitin Gadkari and I spoke with the BJP President Amit Shah who also said there was no such commitment on this," he told the media after submitting his resignation as CM to Governor B. S. Koshyari.

Fadnavis also asserted that the state will soon get a BJP government.

His statement could further intensify the political logjam over government formation in the state as the tenure of the assembly is set to expire on Saturday.