Is toppling of govts now permitted by law?: Sibal's dig at BJP on Maharashtra crisis

Former Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Tuesday (July 4) lashed out at the BJP, accusing it of orchestrating the toppling of government in states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra over the last few years, and said it was “over to the Supreme Court” to act on the trend.

The remarks by Sibal, a noted advocate, came after NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight others were inducted into the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government.

Also read: Yet to ascertain whether NCP is in govt or Opposition: Maharashtra Assembly Speaker

Ajit Pawar pulled off a stunning revolt in the NCP on Sunday, triggering a vertical split, and joined hands with the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra to become the deputy chief minister.

“The BJP: Toppled by inducement of office and otherwise the following elected opposition governments: Uttarakhand (2016); Arunachal Pradesh (2016); Karnataka (2019); Madhya Pradesh (2020); Maharashtra (2022),” Sibal said in a tweet.

“The law now permits it? Over to the Supreme Court!” he said.

Commenting on Ajit Pawar’s switchover, Sibal on Monday had called it the BJP’s tactic to “first attack the corrupt and then embrace” them.

Also read: NCP crisis deepens as rival camps go on sacking spree to control hold over party

In a sudden turn of events that capped weeks of speculation over his next political move, Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister by Governor Ramesh Bais at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan in Mumbai on Sunday.

(With inputs from agencies)