50 MLAs supporting Eknath Shinde, including 39 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, took a chartered flight from Goa to Mumbai on Saturday evening.
50 MLAs supporting Eknath Shinde, including 39 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, took a chartered flight from Goa to Mumbai on Saturday evening.
Four days old Shiv Sena-BJP government He will face a floor test on July 4 during a two-day special session of the Assembly starting Sunday.
The election for the Speaker’s post will be held on Sunday after the proceedings of the House begin at 11 am, an official said.
Shiv Sena MLA and Uddhav Thackeray loyalist Rajan Salvi is the candidate of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance for the speaker’s election. He is pitted against first-time BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar.
The rebel Shiv Sena MLAs who supported Mr Shinde returned to Mumbai from Goa on Saturday evening on the eve of the assembly session, and were accommodated in a luxury hotel in south Mumbai, where the Vidhan Bhavan, the venue for the floor test, is held.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar claimed that vice-president Narhari Jirwal can perform the duties of the officiating president even if a no-confidence motion is pending against him. The post of the president has been vacant since February last year after the resignation of Nana Patole of the Congress.
50 MLAs supporting Mr. Shinde, including 39 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, took a chartered flight from Goa to Mumbai on Saturday evening. Mr. Shinde, who had gone to Goa in the morning, went back with him.
Mr. Shinde enjoys the support of 10 legislators from smaller parties and independents and 106 of the BJP in the 288-member house.
The party’s position in the assembly is as follows: Shiv Sena 55, NCP 53, Congress 44, BJP 106, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi 3, Samajwadi Party 2, AIMIM 2, Prahar Janshakti Party 2, MNS 1, CPI(M) 1, PWP 1, Swabhimani Paksha 1, Rashtriya Samaj Paksh 1, Jansurajya Shakti Party 1, Krantikari Shetkari Party 1, and Independent 13.
One post is vacant due to the death of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke in May.
Two NCP members – Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal – have tested COVID-19 positive, while two other party MLAs – Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik – are currently in jail.