The opening day of the Maharashtra legislature's monsoon session saw the Democratic Front government and the opposition combine agreeing to a compromise.
The Shiv Sena-BJP agreed to withdraw the 'no confidence' motion against the Speaker of the lower house Arun Gujarathi, while the DF withdrew a similar motion against the chairman of the upper house N S Pharande.
The decision was taken following a flurry of meetings between ruling party members and opposition leaders immediately after the lower house was adjourned after passing the condolence motion over the demise of vice-president Krishan Kanth on Saturday.
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Seniormost Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) cabinet minister Vijaysinh Mohite Patil as well as minister for legislative affairs Rohidas Patil held separate meetings with BJP national vice-president Gopinath Munde, Shiv Sena's leader of the opposition in the lower house Narayanrao Rane and opposition leader in the upper house Nitin Gadkari.
This was followed by a joint meeting of the opposition leaders with chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, deputy chief minister Chaggan Bhujbal as well as Pharande and Gujarathi where both sides decided to withdraw their respective no-confidence motions to maintain the dignity of the offices of the speaker and chairman of the state legislature.
Munde when contacted said: "It was basically a compromise worked out by both sides (ruling and opposition). We met in the chamber of Pharande where it was decided that both would withdraw the motions. Basically it was a political issue and it is not correct to drag the offices of the speaker and chairman of the state legislature into the middle of the same."
Gadkari told Business Standard: "We have decided by mutual agreement to withdraw the no-confidence motions against the speaker and the chairman in the wider interest of the institution of the state legislature. We are happy with the decision as it is the duty of both the opposition as well as the ruling party to maintain the dignity of the legislature as well as the persons who chair the proceedings of the house. We are also happy that the decision was reached by mutual agreement."