Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra won the floor test on Monday by a 164-99 margin with BJP’s support and now Shinde plans to get hold of Shiv Sena and dislodge Thackerays from the party. Shinde has the support of 39 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs and another Shiv Sena MLA joined the Shinde faction on Monday.
The trust vote was proposed by BJP’s Sudhir Mungantiwar and Shiv Sena rebel Bharat Gogawale. After a voice vote, on the proposal of the trust vote, opposition members demanded a division of the vote.
Eknath Shinde led a revolt against Shiv Sena leading to the collapse of the 31-month-old Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government headed by Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray. Shinde took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on June 30 and BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis is his deputy.
The BJP has 106 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly and Shinde is leading 40 rebel Shiv Sena legislators and some Independents. After the death of a Shiv Sena MLA recently, the current strength of the Assembly is reduced to 287, thus the majority mark is 144.
Control over legislative party
Chief whip of the Shiv Sena — Eknath Shinde faction — Bharat Gogawale has given a petition to the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker for the suspension of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray faction for violation of whip. These 16 MLAs include Aaditya Thackeray.
The Speaker’s office has confirmed that the notice will be issued to 16 MLAs of Shiv Sena. The petition was given after the newly-appointed Speaker appointed Gogawale as the chief whip of the Shiv Sena Legislative party leader, removing Sunil Prabhu, who belongs to the Uddhav Thackeray camp.
Podcast | Maharashtra Politics: The road ahead for Eknath Shinde
Ahead of today’s crucial trust vote of the Eknath Shinde-led BJP government, the Speaker removed Shiv Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhary as the legislative party leader and reinstated Shinde in the position.
Sena MPs in revolt mode?
Shiv Sena leaders anticipate that the Shinde faction might make a dent in Shiv Sena MPs and a chunk of MPs are likely to revolt against Uddhav Thackeray. Sources said that Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant who is MP from Kalyan is speaking to Sena MPs who will raise the banner of revolt this week.
(With ANI inputs)