Maharashtra: Fadnavis govt wins controversial trust vote; Shiv Sena, Congress protest

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Nov 12, 2014:  Shiv Sena and the Congress MLAs asked for a division, but the demand was overruled by speaker Haribhau Bagde, who declared the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winner in the crucial test for the first BJP government in the state.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which had committed support to the BJP’s minority government, remained seated in their chairs when protests were raised.

The BJP which claimed to have direct and indirect support of 140 MLAs needed some legislators to vote for it or abstain in case the poll was held. The party needed a halfway mark in the house of 287.

As per convention , a division of votes when demanded,  is held with legislators voting for or against a motion.

Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde was elected the Leader of Opposition after the party sat in the opposition and voted against the BJP government, ending speculation over whether it will back its former ally in the floor test.

The Congress questioned the legitimacy of the trust vote  with former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan saying the party will approach the governor requesting that the Fadnavis government should be asked to prove its majority by a proper division of votes.

" This is the darkest day in the history of the Maharashtra assembly.We will not allow the house to function under this minority government," Chavan said.

Sena leader Ramdas Kadam said the BJP government’s act was against the spirit of the constitution and threatened to take legal recourse. He told reporters that party chief Uddhav Thackeray had directed legislators to sit in the opposition.

Since there was no clarity on which way the NCP voted ,  the speaker’s move was seen as an attempt to save BJP the embarassment of publicly going along with Sharad Pawar’s party, sources said

In the 288-member assembly, the BJP has 121 MLAs - down from 122 after Mukhed MLA Govind Rathod died of a heart attack on October 26. While the Shiv Sena has 63, the Congress has 42 and the NCP has 41 legislators. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP has offered unconditional support to the BJP.

The BJP, earlier, passed the first test of the day when its candidate for the speaker’s post, Haribhau Bagade, was elected unopposed.

The Congress and the Shiv Sena both withdrew their candidates from the contest ahead of voting, apparently after being requested by the BJP.

Talks between the BJP and the Shiv Sena, which parted ways ahead of the October elections after 25 years of bonhomie following differences over sharing of seats, have failed to reach a conclusion despite repeated efforts.

Sena’s reported demand for 10-12 ministerial berths with key portfolios and the post of deputy chief minister or home minister is vehemently opposed by the BJP leadership.

 

Courtesy: Zeenews