Uddhav Thackeray govt sails through floor test

Mumbai: The Maha Vikas Aghadi government of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance on Saturday sailed through the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly with a comfortable margin.

The MVA, led by Uddhav Thackeray, won the vote of confidence as 169 MLAs voted in favour of the motion of confidence. The BJP, meanwhile, staged a walkout while the headcount was underway.

The alliance received 169 votes, including that of Hitendra Thakur-led Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (3), Bacchu Kadu-led Prahar Janshakti Party (2), Samajwadi Party (2), Peasants and Workers Party of India (1), other smaller parties and independent MLAs. Four MLAs, two from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), one each from MNS and CPI(M), abstained during the vote.

Mr Thackeray, wearing a saffron turban, thanked the House members and people of the state after the pro tem speaker declared that his government had won the floor test. “I thank all the members for trusting me. I also thank the people of the state. It is not possible to work without their blessings,” he said.

“There was some pressure before coming to the House as I did not have the experience of working in the House but only on the ground. But after what I witnessed today, I can say that battles on the ground are better,” Mr Thackeray added.

Though it was an easy triumph for Mr Thackeray, he witnessed the rigours of the legislative proceedings on his first day in the House. The BJP MLAs created a ruckus in the Vidhan Sabha by questioning the validity of the session, oath taken by the ministers, appointment of the pro tem speaker and the floor test.

Soon after the proceedings began, Mr Fadnavis said that not only the session was held unlawfully, but the ministers also violated rules while taking the oath. He contended that the new government has flouted rules and even constitutional provisions in each of its actions.

“Business is being transacted in the House in violation of the Constitution. The session itself is not in line with the rules. Since national anthem was played out after the last session, this means it ended sine die. A summons was required to be issued through the governor to convene a new session but that was not the case,” Mr Fadnavis said.

He also claimed that the oath-taking ceremony of Mr Thackeray and six other ministers on Thursday was also not in line with the rules. “Some took Balasaheb Thackeray’s name, others took names of Sonia Gandhi and Sharad Pawar. The oath was not taken as per the given format,” the former chief minister added.

The BJP leader also objected to replacement of party MLA Kalidas Kolambkar as the pro-tem speaker with Mr Walse Patil. “Such a replacement was done as the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance was scared of losing the floor test, he said in the House. However, pro tem speaker Dilip Walse-Patil rejected his claims and asserted that the session was being held according to the directions of the Supreme Court.

The Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP leaders slammed Mr Fadnavis and his party for not remaining present in the House to congratulate Mr Thackeray.