Trust Vote

                                   Trust Vote

            Devendra Fadnavish Govt. sought and obtained Trust Vote in Maharashtra Assembly as it was required to seek under the invitation to form the Government in Mumbai by the Governer.But it was obtained by Voice Vote and not by Division of votes.
          The day started with the withdrawal of Speakers candidates by Shiv Sena and Congress.These two arch rivals fell in line to the appeal issued by the Chief Minister to allow unanimous election of Speaker.Consequently, BJP candidate was unanimously elected as as Speaker of Maharashtra Assembly.He took of the proceedings immediately thereafter.
           The CM Fadnavish moved one line motion seeking confidence of the House.The motion was put to vote by the Speaker as usual by voice vote.BJP's MLAs said yes,some independents also said yes,two arch rivals Congress and Shiv Sena said no to the motion.NCP MLAs abstained from voting by neither saying yes or no.That is how NCP probably had planned.Speaker announced Voice Vote in favour of Confidence Motion.( My impression is based on reports by electronic media )
            That was the most crucial moment when any member could have demanded Division of votes which was probably not done.Congress and SS MLAs were so much confused that they came to the well and started protesting.What should have been quietly done was missed out by them.After voice vote,when a member seeks Division, Speaker seeks clearance of lobby and felicitate Division of votes.It takes some time to arrange Division of Votes.My reading of the situation appears to be that SS and Congress knew Fadnavish government was supported by NCP by abstentions and thus there was no use seeking Division.They found it more useful to create a scene and brand the government as illegitimate.
           SS MLAs abused BJP for playing fraud inside the assembly.Former CM Prithviraj Chavan called it a black day in the history of Maharashtra Assembly.SSs logic was that those 40  MLAs who wanted Nitin Gadkari to be Maharashtra did not vote for Trust motion.This was a ridiculous logic.SS appears to have missed the bus for ever.
           In the entire scenario of Maharashtra since the days failing to seal seat adjustments for election,Udhav Thakre's immaturity started becoming visible.He was no patch to the political brains which BJP have.At every corner,SS was cornered by BJP and it won 123 seats which was not even offered to BJP by Udhav.SS came poor second in Assembly with 63 seats,of course little better than Congress and NCP but just less than half of BJP.The position of SS became so weak that BJP hardly gave importance to power sharing formula.Udhav became so ambitious that it asked for Speakership,Dy.CM and 12 cabinet bearths which were dismissed by BJP with all contempt at its command.Modi offered two bearths in Central Cabinet with Suresh Prabhu as a must.Anil Desai was also to be included who was sent to Delhi for oath taking but was recalled from the Airport itself.Thus SS lost all the chances it was offered by BJP.Now,SS MLAs who were aspiring to be Ministers would have to wait restlessly for another five years.
              In Maharashtra politics,the intelligence of Sharad Pawar is unparellel.Very shrewdly,he announced unconditional support to BJP in the name of stability of government but Udhav Thakre failed to read and allowed Pawar to create a rift between BJP and SS.It is Sharad Pawar who proved to be insulator between BJP and SS.Hopefully,Devendra Phadnavish government will continue till such time NCP ressurects itself.By then BJP will also strengthen itself by doing some people friendly acts to create goodwill amongst the people.To my mind,in this race SS will have work in cohesion with Congress and destroy itself in next few years.May be SS suffers fracture too by those members who were nourishing aspirations to be in government.
           I am keeping my fingers crossed on the developments in Mumbai and wish the people of Maharashtra gain by these uncertain situations.