Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari Orders For A Floor Test In State Assembly At 11 am On Thursday

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has written to legislature secretary of the state assembly Rajendra Bhagwat calling for a special session at 11 am for Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP government to take a floor test.

"The Leader of Opposition...personally visited me...I was briefed about the political situation in the state and thereafter the Leader of Opposition submitted a letter stating that Chief Minister has lost the majority in Vidhan Sabha," the Governor said in the letter.

The floor test will be telecast live, and the proceedings will be recorded on camera by the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat through an independent agency, the Governor said. "In order to ensure free and fair voting, it shall be conducted by asking members to rise in their seats for the purpose of counting votes..." Koshyari stated in his letter.

Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde confirmed he and Shiv Sena rebels will arrive in Mumbai for a floor test on Thursday. Since over a week, he has been in Assam’s Guwahati along with rebel Shiv Sena and Independent MLAs and announced launching a new faction of the party which remains loyal to Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe’s ideologies.

In what seemed like a last-ditch attempt to pacify the rebel faction, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday appealed to the to come forward for talks.

“Don’t fall prey to anyone’s missteps. The honour given to you by Shiv Sena cannot be found anywhere. If you come forward and speak, we will sort out the issues. As Shiv Sena party chief and family head, I am still worried about you. Come here for a dialogue,” he said.