<span style="color: #222222;">Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today said that truth has finally triumphed after the Supreme Court refused any relief to former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray while delivering a judgement in a bunch of petitions challenging the validity of the current government<br />''<br />''Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Mr. Shinde said the decision was on expected lines as the majority of MLAs from the Shiv Sena had deserted Uddhav Thackeray. Stating that today's decision is a slap on the face of those who called the current BJP-Shiv Sena government illegal and unconstitutional, Mr. Shinde said the current government is not only in accordance to the people's original mandate but also to the public's liking as it works to protect Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb's Thackeray legacy and principles.<br />''<br />''Reiterating that the Supreme Court has noted that the Election Commission has every right to decide which faction constitutes a political party, the Chief Minister said the opposition must now stop spreading confusion regarding who the real Shiv Sena is.<br />''<br />''Also addressing the presser, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said there should no longer be any confusion in anyone's mind that the current BJP-Shiv Sena government is legitimate and constitutional. Expressing satisfaction over the Supreme Court's judgement, Mr. Fadnavis said the apex court had made it amply clear that status quo ante is no longer possible as the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chose to resign before the floor test.<br />''<br />''Commenting on Mr. Thackeray's statement that he resigned on moral grounds, Mr. Fadnavis wondered where was this morality when Mr. Thackeray betrayed people's mandate so that he could grab the CM's chair.  He added that it was not morality but the fear or shame of losing the floor test that forced Mr.Thackeray to resign.<br />''<br />''Mr. Fadnavis further said that the Supreme Court has said that the governor was justified in inviting Mr. Shinde to form the government. He also lauded the Supreme Court for noting that the Election Commission and the Assembly Speaker are empowered to concurrently adjudicate the petitions regarding recognition of a political party.<br />''<br />''Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly Rahul Narwekar has also welcomed the judgement saying that it is a meritorious and fair decision.<br />''<br />''The opposition parties have however called for Mr. Shinde's resignation on moral grounds as the court did raise questions on the Governor's role during the crisis. While calling for resignation of  Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his deputy Devendra Fadnavis and Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly Rahul Narwekar, Mr. Thackeray earlier told the media that the Supreme Court would have reinstated his government had he not resigned.<br />''NCP leader Jayant Patil too echoed the demand adding that the Speaker must decide over the pending disqualification petition with regard to the 16 Shiv Sena MLAs at the earliest.<br />''<br />''Stating that the Supreme Court has passed adverse comments on the role of the then Governor Mr. Bhagat Singh Koshyari after the Eknath Shinde faction broke away from the Thackeray faction, Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole said the current government has no right to stay in power. He said the BJP had been trying to overthrow the Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena government and used the Governor's office to achieve its goal.<br />''<br />''Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis have however, dismissed the comments saying that the apex court has clearly said that the Governor was not wrong in calling Mr. Shinde to form the government as he had the majority and the incumbent Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had tendered his resignation.</span><br />