‘Can’t wait forever’: Former Sena MP says will move SC ‘if not made Governor in 15 days’

Anandrao Adsul, a former MP from Amravati, has set off a storm with his claims of being promised the Governor's post for withdrawing his claim to the Lok Sabha seat. (File Photo: Rashtrapati Bhavan)

Former Lok Sabha MP and Shiv Sena leader Anandrao Adsul on Tuesday issued an ultimatum to the Bharatiya Janata Party stating that he will move the Supreme Court against former MP Navneet Rana in the case over her caste certificate if “he is not made Governor within 15 days”.

Adsul, a former two-time MP from Amravati, was replaced by Rana in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Accusing the BJP of failing to keep its promise, Adsul claimed that he was promised the Governor’s post by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis in exchange for giving up his claim to the seat.

“Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured me that I would be appointed as the Governor. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also gave his assurance. But no promise was fulfilled. I can’t wait forever. I will wait for another 15 days, but after that, I will go to the Supreme Court and file a curative petition regarding Navneet Rana’s caste certificate,” Adsul told reporters on Tuesday.

Adsul also targeted the BJP of falling short on its commitment to give two Union Cabinet positions and two governorships to the Shiv Sena. He also claimed that both Chief Minister Shinde and Deputy CM Fadnavis signed a letter recommending his name as Governor in a letter sent to the BJP’s central leadership but was overlooked.

In April this year, the Supreme Court had set aside an order of the Bombay High Court cancelling Navneet Rana’s Scheduled Caste certificate, effectively clearing the way for her to contest the Lok Sabha elections.
Having won the 2019 elections from Amravati against Adsul as an NCP-backed Independent candidate, Rana was joined the BJP ahead of polls and unsuccessfully contested the elections from Amravati as a Mahayuti candidate.

Having swallowed the bitter pill then, Adsul said he was hopeful of a gubernatorial assignment when the President appointed new Governors in nine states. However, with his name figuring nowhere in the list, Adsul says he now intends to move a curative petition in the Supreme Court against Rana regarding her caste certificate.

Having unsuccessfully contested the 2019 polls, Adsul joined the Shinde Sena following the Chief Minister’s rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray.