BJP wins confidence vote in Maharashtra, with 'silent' help from NCP; Sena leads oppn
Mumbai: The 13-day-old BJP government headed by Devendra Fadnavis won the confidence motion in Maharashtra Assembly by a voice vote on Wednesday, amid protests by former ally Shiv Sena.
As the motion seeking vote of confidence in the BJP government moved by MLA Ashish Shelar was passed in the House where the ruling party is in minority, Shiv Sena MLAs stormed the Well seeking division of votes.
"The motion has been passed," Speaker Haribhau Bagade announced in the din.
Agitated members of Shiv Sena, which had earlier said that it will oppose the trust vote and and had demanded that its leader Eknath Shinde be accorded the status of Leader of Opposition, shouted slogans.
The Speaker later also announced appointment of Shinde as Leader of Opposition in the House.
Earlier in the day, Bagde was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly after Congress and Shiv Sena withdrew their candidates from the race.
The Speaker had said he would take up the issue of Sena's demand for LoP's post after the trust vote as Congress had also staked claim and he would have to study the legal implications. Congress had demanded LoP's post on the ground that Sena continued to be a constituent of BJP-led NDA.
Read: Will Shiv Sena survive BJP victory on floor of the House?
After Sena members objected to the passing of the trust motion by a voice vote and sought division, Bagde adjourned the House.
When proceedings resumed, the Speaker announced appointment of Shinde as Leader of Opposition in the House.
Earlier in the day, BJP government won the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker's post unchallenged following the withdrawal of Shiv Sena and Congress candidates.
Haribhau Bagade of is the new Maharashtra Assembly Speaker.Bagde's name was announced by Protem Speaker Jiva Pandu Gavit in the newly-constituted Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
Bagde, the MLA from Phulambhari in Aurangabad district, was escorted to the Speaker's chair by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and senior most legislator Ganpatrao Deshmukh of PWP.
Fadnavis thanked all the parties for facilitating unanimous election of the Speaker in keeping with the highest traditions of the Lower House.
He described Bagde as a grass root worker and agriculturalist who held several important posts in the BJP as well as the Sena-BJP government in 1995.
Sena leader Eknath Shinde said the party decided to withdraw its candidate after the Chief Minister spoke to party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Earlier, Congress candidate Varsha Gaikwad also withdrew her nomination for the Speaker's post after former ally NCP declined to support her.
Read: Shiv Sena slams BJP over NCP support, likens Pawar's party to mouse
The BJP and Shiv Sena snapped their 25-year alliance in September ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls over a seat-sharing disagreement.
Following the polls, the BJP had emerged as the single largest party with 122 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.
The Shiv Sena finished second with 63 seats. The NCP, which emerged victorious in 41 seats, has offered the BJP 'external support' to form the government in the state.
