Mumbai (Maharashtra): In a major development, Ajit Pawar on Tuesday tendered his resignation as Maharashtra Deputy CM to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Reports say Ajit Pawar visited Devendra Fadnavis' residence to inform about his decision.

The development comes as a massive setback to the BJP, which was confident of winning the floor test on Wednesday.

In the last two days, NCP had deployed all its senior leaders who visited Pawar's home and tried to convince him to return to the NCP fold.

On November 23, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar were sworn-in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively, shocking the country. Ajit Pawar explained that his abrupt reason to ally with BJP was because he was "tired with the delays leading to the government formation process".

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ordered floor test for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday to prove his majority in the House saying there is a "possibility of horse trading" in case of delay. The apex court asked Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to appoint a pro-tem speaker and ensure that all the elected members of the House are sworn in on Wednesday itself by 5:00 PM for paving the way for floor test. It directed that the voting in the Assembly will not be on the basis of secret ballot and the entire proceeding will have to be telecast live, reported PTI.

Ahead of the crucial floor test on Wednesday, all major political parties in Maharashtra are currently holding meetings with their MLAs at different venues in Mumbai.