' ( 51 4 &'6 '6 6 VRGR $"#(!#1')VCEBRS WWT!Pa!RT%&!$"#1$# -/#$-!01 *..*/ )*+&,"- *+0"# 4 < 3%7)%2 370),4O ",?/.,-/ 1/23%2,$.70 -3742-3,-./0) %2.*( ).3%)%4,) 3.1%=)3 )/7.),%7. %4/3/.0%22,.)722 1/3)1,. 3>1/)-1?%">01 2 *+,*99 --. 9 : / (23 *)345' & "#$$%! % ! !! ! & & ,-% ' "%4,) n a new twist to the ongoing ' (( ' ./01/23% “big-brother” in the western The rules of games had undreds of migratory Igame of political musical State as the BJP willingly played changed and the BJP was now Hbirds of over a dozen chairs in Maharashtra, he steady national domi- a second-fiddle in the State. playing big brother in species have been found dead Governor Bhagat Singh Tnance of the BJP since 2014 The Shah-Modi politics Maharashtra even as it was in Sambhar lake area near Koshyari on Monday night has seemingly squeezed the reversed the equation in the already at the Centre. And as Jaipur. Water contamination is eliminated the Shiv Sena from space and whittled the influ- State as was evident when the they say when the shove came suspected to be the cause the Government formation ence of allies in the National two allies contested polls sep- to the push, Sena, which was behind the birds’ death, said exercise after it staked a claim Democratic Alliance (NDA), arately in 2014. In 2019, too, the constantly sniping at the BJP officials, adding, the exact rea- to form a Government but the rippling impact of what is two bitterly fought for greater and attacking Modi-Shah and son, however, would be clear failed to submit letters of sup- now being felt even by its old- share of seats before joining at times even praising former only after testing their viscera. port from the NCP and the est “ideological partner” Shiv hands at the last minute in the Congress president Rahul The birds, numbering Congress. Sena which after making com- Assembly polls that last month Gandhi at the cost of the duo, around 1,500, were found dead Late in the night, the mon cause with the former for did not deliver the “expected” bolted and joined one-time on Sunday in over five to seven Governor called a delegation of 25 years, is, interestingly, set to majority for the BJP, giving it foes the Congress and the NCP square km area, which is a well- NCP leaders for consultations. end the alliance and hug the 17 less seats than it collected in to try forming a second known wetland of interna- During the meeting, the political opponents it fought briefly even with the Indian 2014. Government after Manohar tional importance and is visit- Governor handed a letter to the ! " #$% against till as recently as in the Union Muslim League (IUML) The taciturn Sena was feel- Joshi first helmed the affairs in ed by tens of thousands of NCP leaders asking their party "!& " ' last month’s Assembly polls in in Maharashtra before launch- ing the pressure from the BJP 1995 to become the first non- migratory birds during winter. to indicate its “willingness and Maharashtra. ing itself with the BJP in 1989 and suspected it of usurping its Congress Chief Minister in After receiving the infor- ability” to form the next Assembly, the two parties can- the risk of running a Sena, which had experi- touting “saffron brotherhood”, urban turf and gradually mar- Maharashtra. mation about dead birds from Government in the State by not on their own stake a claim Government with an aggressive mented with the Congress or was all through two decades a ginalising it in the State politics. Continued on Page 4 local residents, a team of revenue, 8.30 pm on Tuesday. to form a Government. Sena, which is ideologically dif- forest and veterinary officials vis- Talking to media persons It remains to be seen if the ferent from the two parties? port to the Sena all through the ited the area and found around after meeting the Governor, NCP and the Congress will On his part, the Governor day. The NCP’s refrain was that R 1,500 carcasses of 15 species, State NCP president Jayant seek the support of the Shiv is going through with the it was waiting for an official P including those of Northern Patil said, “As per the proce- Sena to form a Government. If motions of exhausting word from the Congress lead- ! Shovelers, Ruddy Shelduck, dure, the Governor has given the two parties do approach the Constitutional options before ership. Plovers, Avocets and others. us a letter being the third sin- Sena, will the Sena extend its him. Once he is through with After a Sena delegation ' ./01/23% Continued on Page 4 gle largest party in support to the NCP and the the process, will he recommend met the Governor for staking P Maharashtra. We have sug- Congress? Lending support to President’s rule in the State?. claim to form a Government, ulfilling the NCP’s condi- gested to him that we will the NCP-Congress means the This is a question that is both- the Congress issue a brief Press Ftion that the Shiv Sena ' (( ) ./01/23% have to talk to our alliance part- Sena forfeiting its much-dis- ering all the political parties in release which said, “The should quit the Modi ner. We have assured him that cussed claim on the Chief the State. Congress Working Committee Government, its Heavy hould we, shouldn’t we? we will get back to him as early Minister’s post, a post for which Despite indicating that they met this morning and had a Industries Minister Arvind SThis question rattled the as possible.” the Sena sacrificed its 30-year- would extend their support to detailed discussion on the sit- Sawant on Monday announced Congress brass throughout NCP president Sharad long (albeit of an interrupted the Sena to form a uation in Maharashtra, after his resignation from the Union Monday as it held two separate Pawar and central Congress nature in 2014) alliance with Government, the NCP and which a consultation was held Cabinet, saying there is no brainstorming sessions in a leaders will hold talks on the BJP. Congress remained non-com- with Maharashtra Congress trust left and it would not be bid to reach at a conclusion on Tuesday on the Governor’s let- Secondly, the Sena will mittal on the issue till late in the leaders. The Congress presi- proper to continue as Minister whether to back the ideologi- ter. Given that the combined have to play the second fiddle evening. dent Sonia Gandhi has spoken when a new Government is cally-opposite Shiv Sena to " #$ strength of the two parties is 98 to the NCP-Congress alliance Though Pawar held sever- to Sharad Pawar. The party will being formed in Maharashtra. form a Government in MLAs and they are 47 MLAs if it chooses to be a part of the al rounds of talks with his party have further discussions with “I have resigned as Union Maharashtra. And if it did, in short of the magic majority fig- three-party Government. Will leaders, he refrained from say- the NCP”. Minister,” the Shiv Sena leader what form would it be? ure of 145 in the 288-member the NCP-Congress alliance take ing anything on extending sup- Continued on Page 4 said. By the end of the day, the " ( % & Congress house remained % " ' divided on the issue and the )*+ ,- ' $%& question continued to trouble partymen who decided to take Governor, Congress’ State !"#$#!% a final call on the matter on incharge Mallikarjun Kharge # Tuesday after its Central and categorically denied having ( State leaders talk to NCP chief done so. $ ) Sharad Pawar, who shares a A statement issued by party *+ '( good rapport with Shiv Sena general secretary KC chief Uddhav Thackeray. Venugopal after the meeting In the meantime, as a sec- said, “The Congress president ' ./01/23% Ram temple at the 2.77-acre dis- ' 2,$.70 tion of the media said the has spoken to Sharad Pawar. ' puted site in Ayodhya and Congress and the NCP have The party will have further dis- n line with the Supreme directed the Centre to allot a he all important meeting of faxed their letters of support to cussions with the NCP.” ICourt judgment to set up a five-acre plot at an “alternate but Tthe All-India Muslim the Sena to the Maharashtra Continued on Page 4 ' trust for the contruction of prominent” location to the Personal Law Board (AIM- Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the Sunni Central Waqf Board for PLB) to discuss the Supreme Centre has started the process, building a mosque. Court verdict on the Ram with a team of officers from the “The Central Government Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Ministries of Home, Law and shall within a period of three title suit will be held here on Culture to study the SC order months from the date of this November 17. threadbare to ensure that the judgment, formulate a scheme The meeting of the AIM- trust is constituted in three under the Acquisition of PLB executive committee will months as per the SC verdict in Certain Area at Ayodhya Act, be held at Nadwatul Ulama at the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri 1993. The scheme shall envis- 1000 hours on Sunday, said Masjid case. age the setting up of a trust with Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi The opinion of the a board of trustees or any other Mahali, executive member of Attorney General and the appropriate body... ,” said the the Muslim Personal Law Solicitor General will be taken judgment.