CM brings confidence motion in favour of speaker

Mumbai: In an unprecedented move, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday brought a confidence motion in favour of Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde to counter the opposition's no-confidence motion against the speaker. 

The Opposition parties i.e. Congress and National Congress Party (NCP)- had moved a no-confidence motion against Bagde over his partial and arbitrary behaviour a fortnight ago. The opposition wanted a discussion on the no-confidence motion but before the speaker could allow it, the chief minister moved the confidence motion which was seconded by seconded by Public Work Department (PWD) Minister for (public undertakings) and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde. The opposition said that the move of the government is a blot on the democracy. 

Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil alleged that it is a murder of the democracy. Later, the Congress and NCP legislators met the governor over the issue. 

Amid protest, Fadnavis moved a one-line motion saying that the Legislative Assembly expresses confidence in Speaker Haribhau Bagde. Where for last two days, the opposition parties were demanding that the notice of no-confidence be admitted and taken up for discussion in the House. 

Presiding officer Sudhakar Deshmukh put the motion before the members to vote, which was passed by a voice vote. Thereafter, the House was adjourned for 15 minutes. As the House again gathered, presiding officer Subhash Sabne adjourned the House for another 15 minutes. 

When the leader of opposition in the Assembly Radhkrishna Vikhe-Patil said despite the notice was given on March 5 and 14 days had already lapsed. "Why the notice was not given a place in the agenda of the day?," he asked. 

Vikhe-Patil started to read out the notice but Fadnavis stopped and saying that the no-confidence can't be read out. Fadnavis said that in 2006, the then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had brought a motion expressing a confidence in his council of ministers. He said, "We have adhered to set precedent and rules." 

The ruling benches members shouted the slogans Bharat Mata ki Jai and Vande Mataram and the house was adjourned for the day without allowing the opposition to express their say. 

Former speaker and NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil said that, as the no-confidence motion was moved on March 5, Bagde should have read out notice for the motion for voting and if it would have received 29 votes in favour of the motion, the motion ought to be discussed on the floor of the house. 

Former speaker claimed that the example of 2006, which was quoted by Fadnavis, was not correct because, that motion was moved against the government. He said, "We are aware that we don't have numbers for the majority and the no-confidence motion will not be passed. We wanted to expressed our thoughts over the motion. In the parliament history of Maharashtra, this has never happened."

Attacking on the government, Vikhe-Patil said that the ruling party members had already decided not to allow the proceedings of the House and created chaos in the House.