Mumbai: A massive fire broke out in a residential building located in the narrow lanes of the Dongri area in South Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon. The blaze erupted in a high-rise named Ansari Heights located in Nishanpada area close to the Sandhurst Road station. The cause of fire is reportedly attributed to multiple cylinder blasts.

Firefighters Struggling To Perform Rescue Operations

The blaze engulfed the high-rise’s 14th floor along with a couple of floors below it in the 15-storey building. The Mumbai Fire Brigade department declared the blaze as a Level-1 Fire incident. Multiple fire engines rushed to the spot for rescue operations. However, their efforts were hindered due to the congested and narrow lanes in the area.

According to the fire department’s initial report, no injuries were reported in the incident. The rescue operations are currently underway in the area where the firefighters are trying to douse off the blaze.

Fire In Andheri Residential Building

In another incident, a fire broke out in a seven-storey residential building in Andheri West earlier today morning. The blaze started at 8:42 am in a flat on the sixth floor of the Chinchan building.

Firefighters swiftly responded, deploying four fire engines to the scene. By approximately 9 am, the fire was brought under control. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported, according to civic and fire department officials.

Cooling operations were ongoing later to prevent any potential flare-ups. The cause of the fire remains unknown and is under investigation.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday called for the implementation of President’s Rule in Maharashtra following the end of the Assembly’s term on November 26.

Speaking to the media, Raut criticised the Mahayuti alliance’s inability to form a government despite securing a huge victory in the Assembly elections. He said, “They (Mahayuti) have got a massive majority, yet they have neither decided on the Chief Minister nor formed a government. When we were hopeful to form the government, we were told that if we failed to do so by November 26, President’s Rule would be imposed.”

Mahayuti Stalemate

The Mahayuti alliance, which won over 230 seats in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly, has yet to declare the next chief minister of the state. According to sources, while the alliance has decided on the chief minister, discussions over portfolio allocation among the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP are delaying the announcement.

Once an agreement is reached, the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra will be officially announced, sources confirmed.

Raut Alleges EVM Manipulation, Demands Ballot Paper Voting

Raut also raised concerns over alleged Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) manipulation, claiming that it played a role in the defeat of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in the recent elections. He remarked, “We have been raising the EVM issue for the last 10 years. When Congress was in power, the BJP questioned EVMs. Listen to Modi’s old speeches—he called EVMs a fraud. If EVMs are removed, BJP won’t win even 25 seats in the entire country.”

He further urged the Election Commission to revert to ballot paper voting, stating, “Conduct the elections on ballot papers, and whatever the results, we will accept them.”

Is Government Formation Mandatory?

According to legal experts and reports, including one by News18, there is no constitutional requirement for a government to be formed before the end of the Assembly’s term. President’s Rule does not automatically come into effect if a government is not in place by the deadline.

Historical precedents show instances where governments were formed or Chief Ministers were sworn in after the term of the Assembly.

The Congress will hold its working committee meeting on November 29 following its poor performance in the recently concluded Maharashtra and Haryana elections.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is expected to focus on the party’s electoral defeats in Maharashtra and Haryana, along with the current political situation.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi suffered a setback in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, won only 20 seats, while Congress managed 16, and the NCP (SP) secured just 10.

Under the seat-sharing arrangement within the MVA, Congress contested the majority of the seats (101) and was expected to drive the alliance forward. However, the party managed to win only 16 seats.

In Haryana, the BJP formed its third consecutive government after winning 48 seats in the 90- member assembly. Congress secured 37 seats.