)
A no-confidence motion moved by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) against 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 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s 12 legislators supported the motion along with the NCP.
However, the BJP's junior ruling partner Shiv Sena's seven members abstained from the voting, suggesting all is not well between the ruling partners. This is for the second time after the land acquisition Bill in the Lok Sabha, the Shiv Sena abstained from voting on the motion against Deshmukh who held the post for 11 years.
NCP's senior leader and former minister Ramraje Nimbalkar is tipped to be the next chairman of the state council. The election for the chairman will take place during the ongoing budget session of the state legislature.
Of the 45 members, the NCP has 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. The NCP received the support of four, including three independents and a member belonging to the Peasants and 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 the legislative council a no-trust motion was passed against the chairman.
The NCP had moved the motion last week, saying 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. Against the provision of 40 votes required for the passage of no-trust vote, 45 voted in favour. Congress veteran and former minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil is the leader of opposition in the state council.
Earlier, the Congress and Shiv Sena members alleged that the NCP and BJP had a tacit understanding before and even after the Assembly elections. However, the NCP strongly rebutted allegations made by the Congress and Sena, saying that the no-confidence motion was purely based on the provisions of Constitution of India and rules of the state legislature. The BJP also denied having any understanding with the NCP. State minister Eknath Khadse said BJP's alliance with the Sena is still intact.
