"Maharashtra govt will collapse in 72 hours": Sanjay Raut

In a political turmoil brewing in Maharashtra, the opposition parties, including the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Congress, have accused Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar of intentionally delaying the decision on pleas seeking the disqualification of rebel Shiv Sena and NCP MLAs. They've urged him to decide the matter within a specific timeframe.

The Supreme Court strongly criticized assembly speaker Narwekar for the delay in deciding the plea for disqualification of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and several MLAs, stating that the speaker "cannot defeat the orders" of the top court. Responding to the court's remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut stated in Nashik that the government led by Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar would collapse within the next 72 hours.

“This government will go in 72 hours. I had said earlier also. Now, the time has come. The assembly speaker put the government in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and tried to save it, but now the time has come for the speaker himself to go to the ICU,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

“The assembly speaker deserves to be reprimanded by the court. He does not take the Constitution seriously. The speaker and his guardians should learn a lesson now. These people just want to save an unconstitutional government as per the orders from Delhi,” he alleged.

The speaker gets orders from Delhi and acts accordingly. The court’s observation is a slap on the speaker’s unruly behaviour. He has earned disrespect for the speaker’s post and the Maharashtra government, Raut added.

“The law is equal for all. The decision will be applicable to both the Shiv Sena and NCP. We will also get our expected decision about the illegal decision given by the Election Commission about the party name and symbol,” he alleged.