Ahead of the crucial trust vote of the first BJP government in Maharashtra, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which had earlier decided to abstain, has now agreed to support the vote of confidence motion.
“If Shiv Sena joins the government, there will be no problem. We will not be part of the government but we do not want to create instability by voting against a minority government. So NCP will abstain if there is voting,” NCP spokesman Nawab Malik had said.
A special three-day session of the Maharashtra assembly will begin here November 10 in which the first BJP government will face a crucial trust vote on November 12.
All the 287 newly-elected legislators would be sworn-in and the minority government headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will face the confidence vote of the house.
The details of the special session were finalised at a cabinet meeting presided over by Fadnavis here Saturday, cabinet minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said.
According to the schedule, November 10-11 will be devoted to the swearing-in of the 287 new members of the 288-strong house. An elected legislator from Nanded died last week.
The following day, November 12, a new speaker would be elected followed by the vote of confidence.
“We are confident of passing the floor test,” Mungantiwar said.
In the October 15 elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 122 legislators plus one from its pre-poll ally, the Rashtriya Samaj Paksha.
BJP legislator Govind Rathod from Nanded died last week, reducing the party’s tally to 121 in the house where it requires 145 for a simple majority.
