Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and party’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut set the cat among the pigeons in the state political circles on Sunday, by making a sensational allegation that the Narendra Modi government was planning to impose President’s Rule in Maharashtra if the BJP-led MahaYuti failed to win the State Assembly polls.

Talking to media persons here. Raut -- a key leader of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi— accused Union Home Minister and BJP’s chief strategist Amit Shah of being behind the plan to impose President’s Rule in Maharashtra.

Raut also alleged that the Election Commission of India appeared to be siding with the ruling BJP. 

Explaining the logic behind his allegation, Raut said: “The term of the current (14th) Maharashtra Legislative Assembly will end on November 26.

The voting for the new (15th) Maharashtra Legislative Assembly will take place on November 20. The results will be out on November 23. There will be barely 48 hours to form the next government”.

“Since Amit believes that the BJP-led MahaYuti will not win the polls, his strategy is  to limit the time available for the Maha Vikas Aghadi to discuss and decide about government formation.

If the MVA constituents fail to stake a claim in two days, then the Governor will recommend the President's Rule for six months,” Raut said.

He alleged that the ECI had purposely scheduled the Maharashtra Assembly polls in such a way that it restricts the MVA's opportunity to form a government effectively. 

"The ECI's actions are like that of a BJP spokesperson. It supports the EVM but conveniently keeps mum when we speak about the alleged tampering of these machines in the Haryana state elections,” the Sena (UBT) leader said.

Raut claimed that the ECI’s partial behaviour could be evidenced from the fact that it had not taken any action on complaints filed before it about the alleged misuse of money during the Lok Sabha elections.