MUMBAI – India’s financial capital plunged into political uncertainty onTuesday after the president imposed direct rule on Maharashtra state afterweeks of deadlock over who would form its government following fiercelyfought elections.
India has been battling an economic slowdown and the political stalemate isa setback for Mumbai, which is home to business tycoons, the stockmarketand the glitzy Bollywood film industry.
The move is also a blow for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’sHindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was expected toremain in control of India’s richest state after winning the most seats atlast month’s polls.“President Ram Nath Kovind signs proclamation imposing President’s rule inMaharashtra,” the Press Trust of India reported, citing officials.
The state was ruled by the BJP and its right-wing regional ally Shiv Senaahead of the elections.
But the two parties failed to agree on a power-sharing deal after theelection results showed the coalition had won a comfortable majority for asecond consecutive term.
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Shiv Sena quit the coalition on Monday, hoping to convince ideologicalrivals the centre-left Indian National Congress and the NationalistCongress Party to form a government instead.
Under India’s constitution, New Delhi can take direct control of a state inthe absence of a local government and after obtaining consent from thepresident.
The president’s direct rule can last up to six months, but experts saidfresh elections are likely to be called within a few weeks to solve thepolitical quagmire, unless one of the parties is able to cobble together acoalition. -APP/AFP
