12:45 pm: The first ever BJP led minority government wins the trust vote motion. It was carried by a voice vote. NCP, INC did not participate in the voice vote. New Speaker did not allow ballot vote. >Read here
12.30 pm: Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde is Maharashtra's new Opposition leader
12.18 pm: NCP's support will further weaken Sena's bargaining power. >Read here
12:13 pm: The trust vote for the BJP-led minority government in Maharashtra slated in a while has been reduced to a mere academic excercise with the Nationalist Congress Party declaring that it will vote for Devendra Fadnavis' government. >Read her e
11.53 am: BJP’s Haribhau Bagde unanimously elected Maharashtra Assembly Speaker. Congratulatory speeches of various prominent leaders have begun. Former Home Minister R R Patil reportedly said in his speech that the political situation in the State is very peculiar. >Read here
>#shivsena & >@INCIndia protest against speakrs' decision >@the_hindu>@Mumbai_Connect
— Alok Deshpande (@alokdesh) >November 12, 2014
11: 40 am: If the NCP decides to participate in the confidence motion, the BJP government will have to get at least 144 votes to get the majority.
11:34 am: Lone MNS candidate Sharad Sonawane from Pune to back BJP. Mr. Sonawane, who joined the MNS only this year, was the sole candidate to bag a seat for his party. >Read here
11:14 am: BJP's Haribhau Bagde to be Maharashtra legislature's new Speaker. >Read here
11:10 am: Senior Shiv Sena leaders Ramdas Kadam and Diwakar Raote meet CM Devendra Fadnavis, minutes before BJP's show of strength on the floor of the house.
11:07 am : The NCP on Tuesday reiterated that they will ensure that the State has a stable government. Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal while being non-committal on the issue of trust vote, said that their aim is to ensure that there is a stable government in Maharashtra.
10.55 am: Raj Thackeray's MNS offers support to BJP govt in Maharashtra.
Earlier in the day, the Shiv Sena decided to vote against BJP during the trust vote. >Read here
What happens during the Maharashtra Assembly Trust Vote?
The process for election of Speaker would commence at 11 a.m. It would be followed by a trust motion seeking confidence of the house on the Devendra Fadnavis government. The motion would be put to vote without discussion. At 4 pm the State Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao would address the joint session of the Assembly and the Council. Both houses would be adjourned sine die after Governor's address.
BJP's government in Maharashtra
This is the first ever BJP run government in the State. Having staked claim for the post of the Leader of the Opposition on Monday as a default option in case its desired deal with the BJP does not materialise, the Sena has thrown its hat in the ring for the speaker’s election.
With the BJP and the Congress also in the fray, as things stand it is a three-cornered contest. In an effective house of 287 members the BJP has 122 MLAs (22 short of a simple majority, the Sena has 63 and the Congress 42 members. The NCP which has 41 MLAs has already announced unilateral support to the BJP government however so far not revealed its cards on the Speaker’s election.
FAQ on the BJP-Sena split
File Photo: Vivek Bendre
Maharashtra went to the polls on October 15, 2014. For the first time in two decades, it witnessed a five-cornered contest as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena ended their 25-year alliance (and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress their 15-year coalition) and with Maharashtra Navanirman Sena also being in the fray. On October 19 the results of the Maharashtra bypolls were announced and the BJP won in a simple majority with 123 seats while the Shiv Sena won 63.
What led to the BJP-Sena split?
The main reason for the split was the failure to reach a consensus over seat-sharing for the Assembly elections. While the BJP demanded at least 130 seats, Shiv Sena refused to give its ally more than 119. Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray expressed his desire for the Chief Minister’s post, which the BJP refused to accept.
What’s the status quo?
On October 27th, the Shiv Sena announced that it will support any CM candidate from the BJP. Even as a section of the BJP State unit continues to lobby for a minority government in Maharashtra with the help of Independents, the party announced that it wanted a tie-up with its estranged ally, the Shiv Sena. However, this announcement came with the rider that the Sena should come on board without any conditions.
How did the parties come together in Maharashtra 25 years ago?
The BJP and Shiv Sena came together to forge an alliance in Maharashtra in 1989. Shiv Sena had always had the upper hand among the two parties in the State, with major share of the seats going to the Sena. The Sena came to power in 1995, and stayed in power for a term. Though they were out of the hot seat for the last 15 years, together they were strong as the opposition party. Shiv Sena was part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, the relationship has faced many ups and downs over the years. After Bal Thackeray’s death in 2012, former BJP president Nitin Gadkari was against continuing the alliance with the Sena’s new chief Uddhav Thackeray.
