Maharashtra CM resigns after government is reduced to minority

Mumbai: Barely 19 days before Maharashtra assembly elections, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan resigned from his post on Friday, after the Congress-led government in the state was reduced to a minority due to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) pulling out of it.

"The Chief Minister has submitted his resignation to Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao," an official spokesperson told PTI this evening.

Earlier today, Chavan had met the Governor.

There is no word yet from Raj Bhavan about the next course of action, even as it is being speculated that the Governor might ask Chavan to continue as caretaker chief minister or even recommend President's rule in Maharashtra.

"The governor is seeking legal opinion," Raj Bhavan sources said.

Last night, soon after announcing the breaking up of NCP's alliance with the Congress, NCP leader Ajit Pawar met the governor and informed him that the NCP has withdrawn its support to the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan-led government.