Eye on Shiv Sena, NCP as 13-Day Fadnavis Government Seeks Trust Vote

Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' 13-day-old BJP government will seek a trust vote this afternoon. The fall of another 13-day-old BJP government 18 years ago - that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Centre - is part of party folklore and it hopes this time to reverse the result.

Ahead of the trust vote, a senior Shiv Sena leader said his party would not vote in favour of the BJP's minority government. Soon after, Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party reiterated that its offer of support to the BJP to ensure a stable government stands.

Mr Fadnavis, 44, heads into the big test having crossed one hurdle this morning. The BJP won the Speaker's post unopposed, after the Shiv Sena and the Congress withdrew their candidates.

With negotiations on power-sharing heading nowhere, the Shiv Sena's Ramdas Kadam said in what is being seen as extreme brinksmanship, "There have been no new talks last night. We will not vote in favour of the BJP."

The BJP's Eknath Khadse shot back, "The shiv Sena is free to take their decisions. We won't lose face if we get the NCP's support... the NCP declared unilateral support, we didn't ask for it."

But he also appealed to the Sena "not to withdraw support from the NDA in Delhi."

This morning, the Sena's mouthpiece Saamna published an editorial said, "Will the BJP save the government with the help of rodents? NCP is a party that is known to nibble at the state exchequer."

The NCP's Chhagan Bhujbal retorted, "If the Sena says NCP is a rat then who says Sena is a tiger?" He said the NCP would abstain or vote for the BJP in the trust vote.

The BJP, which has 122 legislators, claims it also has the support of 13 Independents and members of smaller parties. It needs to demonstrate the support of 144 legislators to remain in power and so is only nine short.

If the Sena has a last-minute change of heart, its 63 MLAs could see Mr Fadnavis through. As could the NCP's 41. Even if the NCP abstains, Mr Fadnavis will win.