Uddhav Thackeray-led Govt wins floor test

MUMBAI, Nov 30
The 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' Government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray proved its majority in the special session of the Maha-rashtra Assembly convened on Saturday after Opposition MLAs staged a walkout in protest.
Congress' Ashok Chavan proposed the trust vote while NCP's Nawab Malik and Shiv Sena's Sunil Prabhu seconded amidst Opposition uproar.
Altogether 169 MLAs voted in favour of the motion of confidence, pro tem Speaker Dilip Walse Patil informed the House. Four MLAs abstained, he said.
Nobody voted against the motion as all the 105 MLAs had walked out of the 288-member House, boycotting the floor test, before headcount of MLAs began.
Earlier, there was uproar in the Maharashtra Assembly after the BJP alleged that the special session was not convened as per rules.
BJP's Devendra Fadnavis said, "This assembly session is not per rules. This session started without Vande Mataram, which is a violation of the rules."
Fadnavis also questioned the rationale behind conducting trust vote without electing a Speaker. "Never in the history of Maharash-tra Assembly a trust vote was conducted without electing a Speaker. What was the fear this time?" he said.
However, the pro tem Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil rejected the contentions saying the special session was as per the directives of Governor B.S. Koshyari.
The Opposition MLAs raised slogans as the Protem Speaker proceeded to the trust vote and walked out in protest.
The BJP has nominated Kisan S. Kathore as its candidate against the MVA nominee and Congress legislator Nana F. Patole for the post of Speaker.
Ahead of the floor test, Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, parties constituting the Maha Vikas Aghadi issued whips to their MLAs directing them to remain present in the Assembly. The New Indian Express