Maharashtra Assembly session to begin today, Shiv Sena yet to decide on sitting in opposition

Mumbai: The special three-day session of Maharashtra Assembly will begin on Monday even as former ally Shiv Sena still remains undecided on whether it will support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government in the state or sit in the opposition.

A final decision is likely only after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis moves a trust vote on November 12. The newly-installed BJP government has to prove its majority in the special session of the state Assembly.

Even as Shiv Sena on Sunday warned the BJP against taking support of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for survival, the BJP standing with 121 MLAs in its fold, as the single largest party in the state elections, seems to be banking on the "outside" support offered by the Sharad Pawar-led party which has indicated that it may vote in favour of the minority government on the floor of the House instead of abstaining from vote as it had said earlier.

The NCP, with 41 MLAs, has assured its outside support, sans any condition, to the new government. The Shiv Sena has 63 MLAs, and is the second largest party in the 288-member House after BJP. It will be interesting to see how BJP cobble up requisite strength to achieve the magic figure of 145 MLAs to survive the floor test.

Meanwhile, Congress which has 42 members in the House, said it will stake claim for post of the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly. "As soon as the party high-command nominates our party group leader in the Assembly, we will stake claim to the post," MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre said on Sunday.

The three-day special session of the Legislative Assembly will begin with Governor C Vidyasagar Rao administering the oath to Jeeva Pandu Gavit as Pro-tem Speaker of the Assembly in Raj Bhavan at 10 AM. Assembly proceedings will start at 11 AM and the first two days will see the members of the 13th Assembly take oath.

Amid reports of Shiv Sena's demand for ministerial berths, Fadnavis had earlier said no minister will be sworn-in before the trust vote. The Cabinet expansion will happen only after the confidence vote, he had said.

The Sena has been reportedly trying to browbeat the BJP in extracting desirable portfolios for the party, however, BJP has not budged and reportedly asked Sena to first offer its support during the trust vote.