Maharashtra CM counters Opposition move with confidence motion

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government presented a confidence motion, which was passed by a voice vote, to counter the opposition Congress-Nationalist Congress Party’s no-confidence motion against the speaker. 

The members from both sides created a ruckus in the legislative assembly on Friday following which the house was adjourned. The opposition went to the Governor to complain about the government's confidence motion. 

The confidence motion presented by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was passed during the pandemonium by a voice vote and the Shiv Sena supported the BJP in this even as the opposition alleged that it was not as per rules. 

Leader of opposition, Mr Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil objected to the government’s confidence motion and said that it was not as per rules. “We had brought the no-confidence motion against the government on March 5. The government had said that the motion will be taken up for discussion at the right time. However, it did not take the no confidence motion, instead  it brought its own confidence motion,” he said. The opposition members started shouting slogans in the house against the government’s move.

In his reply, the CM said that such things have happened earlier in the house as well. “During the Congress regime, when Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh was the chief minister, he had brought a confidence motion for his cabinet. It got approved also. Today, the work was conducted as per the rules and hence the opposition’s motion cannot be discussed,” Mr Fadanavis said. This led to more sloganeering from both sides and the assembly was adjourned for the day. 

The CM was referring to the incident in 2006, when the then opposition leader and Shiv Sena MLA, Mr Ramdas Kadam had moved a no confidence motion against the government. Mr Deshmukh had then brought a confidence motion for his government.