'Confident CM Fadnavis will prove majority': Union Minister Ramdas Athawale

New Delhi: Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale on Sunday exuded confidence that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would be able to prove majority on the floor of the House.

Speaking to ANI ahead of the Supreme Court's hearing on a joint plea of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress against the decision of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, inviting BJP's Devendra Fadnavis to form the government in the state, Athawale said, "They have a right to go to Supreme Court. I want to say that the Governor has the right to call the party and ask it to form the government. He has given a date to Fadnavis to prove majority. I have confidence that Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar of NCP will be able to prove the majority and Fadnavis government will run for five years."

"When the BJP has refused to form the government then they Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress should have formed the government but it did not happen. For Maharashtra's benefit Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar joined hands and took the oath," he said.

On being asked what could be the top court's decision on the joint plea, Athawale said, "Supreme Court might say that the Governor has the right and he has given date and if you have a majority then you should prove it by then. But I have confidence that Fadnavis will be able to prove majority and MLAs will support Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar."

After a prolonged uncertainty over the government formation that lasted for nearly a month, Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday early morning took oath for the second consecutive term as the state Chief Minister, while Ajit Pawar as his deputy chief minister.