The Shiv Sena will seek the support of its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and other Opposition parties for a no-confidence motion against the Maharashtra government, which it plans to bring next week.
Their move comes a day after its previous no-confidence motion lapsed, with the announcement in this regard made by the state assembly speaker Dilip Walse-Patil.
Sena’s that move, to bring a no-trust motion against the state government for the alleged multi-crore irrigation scam, “neglect towards farmers, and the deteriorating law and order situation,” failed as it could not win the support of other parties. The BJP did not agree to extend its support, while the MNS questioned the timing.
Sena leader Subhash Desai on Thursday said the party would file a fresh motion next week. “We have already held talks with the BJP, and talks are on to muster the support of other Opposition parties. This time, the attempt will be to bring the Opposition under one platform,” he said.
Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ministers, however, dared the Opposition to bring the no-confidence motion.
“The Opposition lacks the numbers and it has no issue. Their disruptive tactics are responsible for the lack of any serious business in the state legislature. The Congress-NCP alliance has sufficient strength and the Opposition’s no-confidence motion will be defeated in the legislature,” an NCP minister told Business Standard.
In the 288-member asembly, the Congress has 82 members, followed by NCP's 62, BJP’s 47 and Shiv Sena’s 46.
Besides, the Congress-NCP government enjoys the support of about 25 independents and smaller parties’ legislators.