Maharashtra governor asks CM Uddhav Thackeray to prove majority in floor test on Thursday

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has asked Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to prove his majority on the floor of the House tomorrow on Thursday.

In a letter to the Assembly Secretary Rajendra Bhagwat, Koshiyari called for a special session at 11 am “with the only agenda of a trust vote” against the chief minister.

"The proceedings of the House shall be telecast live and appropriate arrangements for the same shall be made," the letter said.

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Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said that he will reach Mumbai on Thursday for a floor test against the beleaguered Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Shinde, along with the other rebels MLAs and Independents, is currently camping in Guwahati.

Shinde has claimed that he has the support of 50 MLAs, including the rebel faction and Independents, and expressed confidence in overthrowing the ruling government.

In light of the recent developments pertaining to the governor’s letter, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday convened a meeting of the Sena-Congress-MCP leaders to discuss the situation.

The call for a floor test came a day after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis met the governor on Tuesday night and requested him to ask the Thackeray-led government to prove its majority in the Assembly, claiming that the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition dispensation seemed to be in minority as 39 Sena MLAs who belong to the Shinde faction have said they do not support it.

Representatives from the Thackeray faction had asked the Deputy Speaker to disqualify 16 MLAs including Shinde, after which the rebel camp approached the Supreme Court, calling the move illegal.

The court gave the rebel Sena MLAs time until July 12 to respond to notices for their possible disqualification.

But the governor has asked Thackeray to prove majority much before the date by which the rebels have been asked to respond.

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