Maharashtra: Congressmen urge CM Uddhav Thackeray to seek floor test, wrest advantage from rebels

MUMBAI: Senior Congressmen on Wednesday urged chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to seek a special session of the state legislature for a floor test in view of the fluid political situation created by the revolt in the Shiv Sena.
A senior Congressman said three days into the rebellion by Sena MLAs there appeared no end to the impasse. To regain the initiative and put the rebels on the defensive, Thackeray should approach Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and press for a special legislative session, he said. "It will give us an opportunity to prove our majority on the floor of the house. We are sure, despite tall claims of Shinde, we have the majority," he said.
The tri-party combination of Shiv Sena (with 55 MLAs), NCP (53) and Congress (44) currently hold a majority in the 288-member assembly, but the Eknath Khadse faction comprising 42 MLAs has asked Thackeray to quit the coalition.
The Congress leader hoped that after chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's emotional appeal on Wednesday several rebel legislators may recant. "So far, no Shiv Sena legislator has informed Sena whip Ajay Choudhary that he has quit the Shiv Sena and joined the Shinde camp," he said.
NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said despite talk of a split in the Sena, the party remains intact. He said reports of an imminent split are in the media, but nothing on record in the state legislature. "We have read that 40 Shiv Sena legislators have resigned, but there is no such information to the legislature secretariat, no Shiv Sena legislator has resigned," Bhujbal said.
A Congress minister said the Sena will have to act fast and submit a letter to the governor seeking a special session. If Shinde takes the lead to demand a floor test, the MVA will be in trouble, he added. "If Shinde submits a letter to Raj Bhavan claiming there are a large number of rebels and the government is in minority, then the governor has the option to recommend President's rule for a few months and then invite the leader of the second largest party. In that event, Devendra Fadnavis, being the leader of opposition and leader of the largest party, will be invited to form the government," he said.
He said while Shinde and other MLAs revolted on June 20, there has been no communication from him either to the Shiv Sena chief or the legislature secretariat saying he intends to quit the Sena and form a new party.
However, a leader close to the rebels countered that "there is no need for Shinde to form a new party. Since Shinde has stated that he has two-thirds majority, he represents the original Shiv Sena and at appropriate time, he will stake claim for forming the government. He is busy completing legal formalities as per provisions of the Representation of People Act."