Maha CM abruptly cancels Delhi trip, Governor in national capital

Mumbai, July 28

Amid the political suspense in Maharashtra over the cabinet expansion and the upcoming Supreme Court verdict on August 1, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari reached New Delhi for a 2-day visit on Thursday.

Koshyari's visit - details of which are not yet known - comes a day after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde abruptly cancelled his New Delhi trip late on Wednesday.

However, Shinde has reiterated that the much-delayed cabinet expansion "will happen very soon" though he did not specify any date for the same.

The opposition Nationalist Congress Party-Congress-Shiv Sena lashed out at the 29-day old Bharatiya Janata Party-propped Shinde government which took office on June 30 for the repeated postponement of the cabinet formation.

Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut has predicted that "there will be a change of government soon in the state", referring to the apex court hearing on the disqualification proceedings against 15 rebel Sena MLAs including Shinde.

Dismissing the contentions, Shinde said that his government is "strong" as it enjoys two-third support in the Assembly with 166 MLAs on its side, plus 12 Lok Sabha MPs who have given their letters of support.

Criticising the Shinde regime, NCP leader and MLC Amol Mitkari warned that a fresh "political Mahabharat" is likely to erupt in the state next week after the SC judgement is delivered.

The 31-month-old Maha Vikas Aghadi government headed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray fell on June 29 after a 10-day long political drama spanning three states - Gujarat, Assam and Goa.

On June 30, Shinde was sworn-in as CM and BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as the Deputy CM even as the apparently crumbling Sena cried foul and moved the Supreme Court for various reliefs, with the crucial hearing scheduled on Monday.