Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said that he has given a letter to the governor demanding a floor test in the state Assembly, ANI reported.
“We have given a letter to Maharashtra governor and told him that the 39 Shiv Sena MLAs are saying that they don’t want to be with NCP [Nationalist Congress Party], Congress government,” he said. “It shows MVA [Maha Vikha Aghadi] government has lost the majority,” he said.
A governor can call for a floor test if a government in power loses the confidence of the House. The chief minister is then asked to prove the majority in the Assembly.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led government is currently in the middle of a political crisis that began when minister Eknath Shinde went to Surat with a group of rebel MLAs on June 21. He is now camping with them at a hotel in Guwahati.
The rebel MLAs want the Shiv Sena to break its alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Shiv Sena rebel faction’s leader Shinde said he will be returning to Mumbai soon.
“I have 50 people with me in Guwahati, they have come of their own accord and for Hindutva,” Shinde told reporters. “We all will go to Mumbai soon.”
Shinde also said that the MLAs have joined him voluntarily.
“No MLA is suppressed here, everyone here is happy,” he said. “MLAs are with us. If Shiv Sena says that the MLAs present here are in contact with them, they should reveal the names.”
On Saturday, the faction led by Shinde had named itself Shiv Sena Balasaheb after party founder B al Thackeray. The Shiv Sena subsequently passed a resolution saying that no one will be allowed to use the name of Bal Thackeray to form a new group.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!