On a day of dramatic developments in the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday, the Shiv Sena and the Congress said Speaker Haribhau Bagde scuttled their demand for ballot voting and allowed the Devendra Fadnavis government to win the trust motion through a voice vote.
“It is a black day for democracy in Maharashtra. It is sad that the vote of confidence motion was passed by voice vote. We will note our opposition to this move. It has raised questions on the authenticity of the government,” former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said.
“This is an illegitimate government as it has not been able to prove its majority on the floor of the House. The Speaker refused our demand for ballot voting, and carried out voice voting instead. This is assassination of democracy on the very day of vote of confidence,” said Congress leader Manikrao Thakre.
“The Vajpayee government had resigned for lack of one vote. The Fadnavis government is a minority government. It should resign too.”
Shiv Sena leaders descended on the well of the House soon after the vote of confidence motion was passed. They disrupted the proceedings of the House, and demanded that the vote of confidence motion be moved again.
Mr. Bagde denied the allegations. He said the decisions taken by him were within the purview of the powers vested in him.
“They demanded ballot vote very late, after I had finished the procedure of conducting voice vote. I could not have been kept waiting for them [the Congress and the Sena) to raise this demand. They should have sought ballot voting before I gave my ruling,” Mr. Bagde said at a press conference here.
He said he modified the agenda of the legislative proceedings as per the rights bestowed upon him as the Speaker. “The election of Opposition leader was first on agenda. But as per my rights, I changed its priority to number two. I took the vote of confidence motion first. What is the point of having an Opposition leader if there is no government?” he retorted.
The BJP justified the Speaker’s stand, and claimed that the procedure was conducted as per rules. It claimed the Congress raised an alarm to corner its previous ally, the NCP. “Their criticism has nothing to do with us. They want to target their previous ally, and want them to come clean on who they supported during the motion,” Cabinet Minister Vinod Tawde said.