Maha trust vote: 5 Cong MLAs suspended for manhandling Guv

The BJP led minority government in Maharashtra headed by Fadnavis won the trust vote in the state Assembly through a voice vote on Wednesday even as Congress challenged the process of winning the motion.

While the friend-turned-foe Shiv Sena shouted against Fadnavis, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Sharad Pawar- which earlier pledged unconditional support to BJP- abstained.

Devendra Fadnavis thus won the trust vote to remain the chief minister.

Soon after winning the trust vote, he tweeted: "I thank all Members of Assembly for the trust shown upon us.I assure that each step by Our Govt will be in the interest of ppl of Maharashtra."

The Shiv Sena and Congress MLAs, meanwhile, protested outside the Maharashtra Assembly.

The Sena, being the largest party in the opposition bagged the Leader of Opposition post. Its leader Eknath Shinde will be the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.

The Congress said they would approach the Governor to protest the way the government won the trust vote.

"We will protest against this voice vote," said Congress leader and former CM Prithviraj Chavan.

As the Governor made his way into the assembly to make an address, Congress and Shiv Sena MLAs blocked his way, making it difficult for him to walk up the stairs.

Rao was also allegedly manhandled and injured during the ruckus.

An editorial published in the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna earlier warned the BJP against accepting an offer of support from Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

“Will the BJP save the government with the help of rodents? NCP is a party that is known to nibble at the state exchequer,” the editorial said.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray also alleged that the BJP was not making effort to talk to the Shiv Sena.

The BJP fell short of a majority in Maharashtra by 22 seats. The saffron brigade won altogether 123 Assembly seats in the state. It was widely expected that BJP would go with former ally Shiv Sena which won 63 seats.

But the NCP, which won 41 seats, had played a spoiler by offering unconditional outside support to the BJP in government formation in the state.

The BJP had contested alone in Maharashtra after snapping its 25-year alliance with the Shiv Sena over a seat-sharing disagreement.

In Maharashtra, all previous alliance partners - BJP and Shiv Sena of NDA and Congress and NCP of UPA - fought elections individually after failing to forge pre-poll tie-up.