BJP helps NCP in Maharashtra, furious Shiv Sena stages walk out

MUMBAI: A new level of proximity and understanding seemed to have emerged between the BJP and Sharad Pawar’s NCP in Maharashtra as the no-confidence motion against the Chairman of Maharashtra legislative council Shivajirao Deshmukh moved by the NCP got full backing of the BJP and was passed with BJP's support on Monday.

BJP’s alliance partner Shiv Sena was so furious with this development that the Sena staged a walkout from the house.

Over the past two weeks, the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were at loggerheads in the state legislature because of NCP’s move to bring the no-confidence motion against Congress’s Shivajirao Deshmukh. The NCP was upset with Deshmukh for not handing over the leader of Opposition (LoP) position in the house to them. Both the Congress and NCP staked claims to the post of LoP but NCP claimed that they had a claim over the position.

The legislative council has a total of 78 members. The NCP's motion needed the support of 40 members if it has to go through. The motion was put to vote on Monday and got 45 votes while 22 votes went against the motion.