Maharashtra Floor Test: Uddhav Thackeray Government Sails Through Trust Vote After BJP Walkout

Maharashtra: The Sena-NCP-Congress alliance won with 169 votes, well above the half-way mark of 145

Highlights

The Sena-NCP-Congress alliance won the floor test with 169 votes
BJP protested against selection of NCP MLA as temporary Speaker
Election for permanent Speaker on Sunday

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government in Maharashtra, led by Uddhav Thackeray, sailed through the trust vote in the Maharashtra assembly on Saturday after over a month of intense power struggle that saw allies parting ways and bitter rivals coming together to form an alliance. The floor test began with high drama as the BJP members, led by former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, walked out just before voting. The BJP is protesting against the selection of Nationalist Congress Party's Dilip Walse Patil as temporary speaker. Mr Patil had replaced the BJP's Kalidas Kolambkar as pro-tem speaker and a permanent Speaker will be elected on Sunday. "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. I feel fortunate to be here," Mr Thackeray said after winning the trust vote

Here are the top 10 updates on the Maharashtra floor test:

Uddhav Thackeray, 59, heads an alliance of the Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress, also called Maha Vikas Aghadi. The alliance won with 169 votes, well above the half-way mark of 145 in the 288-member assembly. The three parties together have 154 MLAs. Some Independents and others like Bahujan Vikas Aghadi too backed the Uddhav Thackeray-led alliance. Four MLAs abstained from voting, the temporary Speaker said.
Mr Thackeray, wearing a saffron turban, thanked House members. "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. This was his first time in the House. Behind him sat his son Aaditya, along with another Sena MLA, all wearing saffron turbans.
Mr Fadnavis alleged that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other ministers were sworn-in in an "illegal" way. Pro-tem Speaker Dilip Walse Patil, said, "You are raising an issue which is of out of the house."
"Never in the history of Maharashtra assembly, a trust vote was conducted without electing a Speaker. What was the fear this time?" Mr Fadnavis said, moments before the BJP staged a walkout. Responding to Mr Fadnavis, Mr Patil said that the special session was being convened with the permission of Governor BS Koshyari and hence is not against the rules.
Earlier on Saturday, the BJP had said it may approach the Supreme Court against the change of the temporary Speaker. The party has nominated MLA Kisan S Kathore as its candidate for Sunday's Speaker's election against the Congress MLA Nana Patolem, the nominee of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.
"You (the BJP) feel stung when we took names of Chhatrapati Shivaji (while taking oath). I will take the name again and again. Those who don't take names of their parents,
have no right to live," he said. "It is not Maharashtra's culture when you think taking name of Chhatrapati Shivaji and parents is a crime," Uddhav Thackeray said, taking on the opposition.
On Wednesday, all the MLAs who were elected in last month's election were sworn-in in the assembly as per a Supreme Court order. It was a rare occasion when the House assembled for the session without the formation of a government and appointment of a Chief Minister.
Mr Thackeray, who took oath as the Chief Minister at a mega event in Mumbai on Thursday evening, did not participate in the voting process as he is not an MLA.
The Sena chief was the eighth person to take oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister without being an MLA. According to provisions of the Constitution, any leader who is not a member of the Assembly or Council has to become member of the legislature within six months of taking oath of the post.
Mr Fadnavis resigned as Chief Minister on Tuesday afternoon after a controversial 80-hour second term that ended with the Supreme Court ordering him to prove his majority in a floor test. The BJP didn't have the numbers to pass the trust vote. Ajit Pawar of the NCP quit as deputy Chief Minister and returned to the party fold.