No trust move passed against Maharashtra Legislative Council chairman

NCP and BJP voted in favour, Shiv Sena abstained from voting

A no-confidence motion moved by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) against the chairman of Maharashtra Legislative Council and senior Congress leader Shivajirao Deshmukh on Monday was passed when 45 members voted in favour and 22 against. Interestingly, the ruling BJP's 12 legislators supported the no trust motion thereby siding with NCP on the floor of house. However, BJP's junior ruling partner Shiv Sena's seven members abstained from today's voting signaling all is not well between the two ruling partners. This is  the second occasion after land acquisition bill in the Lok Sabha that Shiv Sena abstained from voting on no confidence motion against Deshmukh who held the post for 11 years.

With today's no trust motion, NCP's senior leader and former minister Ramraje Nimbalkar is tipped to be the next chairman of the state council. The election for Nimbalkar's election will take place during the ongoing budget session of the state legislature.

Of the 45 members, NCP has a strength of 28 members of which 27 voted in support of no trust move while its member and the deputy chairman of the state council Vasant Davkhare, who was in the chair, did not cast his vote. NCP received support of four including three independents and a a member belonging to the Peasants & Workers Party. Of the 22 members, 21 belonging to the Congress and one member of the Lok Bharati voted against the move.

This is for the first time in the history of Maharashtra Legislative Council a no trust vote was passed against the chairman. NCP had moved the motion last week saying that Deshmukh has lost the confidence of the house. Thereafter, the decision to take NCP's motion for voting was taken at the Business Advisory Committee. Congress party veteran and former minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil is now the leader of opposition in the state council.

Earlier, Congress and Shiv Sena members alleged that NCP and BJP had a tacit understanding before and even after the assembly elections. Today it was quite visible, they alleged. However, NCP strongly rebutted allegations made by Congress and Shiv Sena saying that the no confidence motion was purely based on the provisions of Constitution of India and rules of the state legislature. BJP also denied having any understanding with NCP. BJP minister Eknath Khadse said BJP's alliance with Shiv Sena is still in place to rule the state.