MUMBAI, June 3: The western Indian state of Maharashtra plunged into a political crisis Monday as nine lawmakers withdrew their support from the ruling coalition.

The members of four regional groupings pulled out of the Democratic Front coalition following political squabbles which had led to the weekend resignations of three government ministers.

Their withdrawal reduced the government, which is led by the National Congress Party and India’s main opposition Congress party, to a minority in the 288-seat state legislature.

State officials said the coalition now needed at least 10 lawmakers to remain in power in the state capital of Bombay, but deputy chief minister Chagan Bhujbal asserted that the government would not collapse.

“There is no danger to the government. We are persuading and convincing our friends not to leave us,” Bhujbal told AFP.

The crisis emerged after the state government re-instated a minister who was earlier sacked over political in-fighting..—AFP