President’s rule is imposed in Maharashtra and it is the first instance in the 59-year-old history of the state when Article 356 has been invoked due to the inability of political parties to form a government after an assembly election.
According to the Economic Times, this is the third time Maharashtra has come under the central rule. Present-Day Maharashtra came into existence on May 1, 1960. The recent assembly election results were declared and the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 105 seats followed by the Shiv Sena 56, the NCP 54 and the Congress 44.
Pre-poll allies BJP and the Shiv Sena had together won 161 seats, way above the 145 majority mark in the 288-member house. But intense power tussle over the chief minister’s post created a wedge and delayed the formation of the government. However, this is only the third instance of the imposition of President’s rule in the state.
Reportedly, The first of it was in February 1980 when the Indira Gandhi government dismissed the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) government headed by Sharad Pawar. The state saw the second spell of President’s rule after 34 years. President’s rule was imposed after Prithviraj Chavan resigned as Chief Minister following the withdrawal of support by ally NCP to the Congress-led government.
