Maharashtra: Big win for Eknath Shinde as he comfortably sails through floor test in Assembly

Whatever decisions were taken in the last cabinet, about renaming, we will uphold those decisions as we are of the same view. We will have to re-affirm those decisions as the last cabinet wasn't as per rules as Governor had already asked the govt to face floor test, said Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra Assembly.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who faced trolling over his impassioned "I will return" assertion before the 2019 state Assembly polls, on Monday said he will avenge such trolls by forgiving them. Fadnavis made the statement in the state Assembly after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde won the floor test in the House during the last day of the two-day special session of the Assembly. Before the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019, senior BJP leader and former CM Fadnavis said "Me punha yein" (I will return), which had evoked many social media memes. After the polls, the Shiv Sena snapped ties with the BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post. The Sena had then tied-up with the NCP and Congress to form government.

Our alliance had received the mandate but we were deliberately taken away from the majority. But with Eknath Shinde, we have once again formed our Govt with Shiv Sena. A true Shivsainik has been made the CM. I became the Deputy CM as per my party's command: Maharashtra Deputy CM

I would have even sat at home had the party told me - the same party that made me a CM. Today I tell you that there will never be a tussle for power in this govt, we'll continue cooperating. People taunt that it's an ED govt. Yes, it's an ED govt-govt of Eknath Devendra:Deputy CM

In politics, everyone should be prepared to listen to the adversary's voices. We've seen that people were jailed for making statements & posting on social media. We should be prepared for people speaking against us. We should respond to criticism but in a proper way: Maharashtra Dy CM Fadnavis

Several MLAs of Shiv Sena, including Aaditya Thackeray, left the House after the trust vote. Eknath Shinde has won the trust vote inside the Assembly.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Uddhav Thackeray group, tells the Supreme Court that the newly appointed Speaker has no jurisdiction to recognise whips and the action is changing the status quo of proceedings before the apex court.

The Shiv Sena on Monday said it was not surprising to see the BJP winning the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker's election as the Sena was broken and "someone from the party" was pitted against it. In satirical comments, an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' also said with the new government (led by CM Eknath Shinde) in the state, the issue of nomination of 12 MLCs from the governor's quota will be resolved soon. The old file (sent by the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led government) will be replaced with a new one and it will be cleared by the governor within 24 hours, it claimed. If "protectors of the Constitution" take a dual stand, these people can make any resolution and win any election, it said, without taking any name. It said following the resignation of Uddhav Thackeray from the CM's post, there was no "state of law" left in Maharashtra. "Though this is a tough time, it too shall pass," the Marathi daily said. "Like the present Chief Minister (Eknath Shinde), (present Assembly Speaker) Rahul Narvekar was also a Shiv Sainik. In his journey from the Shiv Sena, NCP to the BJP and now as Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly, he perfectly knows when to go and where to go," the editorial said. "It is not surprising to see the BJP winning the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker's election as the Sena was broken and someone from the party was pitted against it," the Marathi publication said.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde won the trust vote by a 164-99 margin, 3 members abstained from voting.

Eknath Shinde got 164 votes in his favour during trust vote in the Assembly. Now votes against the trust vote will be counted from the opposition benches.

Big win for Eknath Shinde as he comfortably sails through floor test in Assembly. Shinde took oath as CM last week. He formed the government with the support of the BJP. 

Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena has moved the Supreme Court challenging the whip issued by new chief whip appointed by Eknath Shinde faction and the newly appointed speaker, contemplating issuance of disqualification notice to 16 MLAs who are with Thackeray.

Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray is yet to arrive in the House. The House doors have been locked for the head count.

Another MLA, Shyamsundar Shinde joined Eknath Shinde group just before the trust vote. So, since yesterday 2 Shiv Sena MLAs have switched sides. Aaditya Thackeray has not reached the House yet.