Mumbai: With Chief Minister Devendra Phadnavis openly accusing the Opposition leadership of laxity in the House, which helped the BJP win the confidence motion, the political circles were abuzz on Thursday with speculation over the conspicuous absence of many Shiv Sena MLAs from the House during the trust vote.
Just as the confidence motion was being moved, many Sena MLAs were up on their feet shouting slogans and asking the speaker not to change the order of the agenda for the day. Some even started moving towards the well of the House. But, at the same time, many of the party MLAs on the back benches had actually walked out of the House. Many observers, including Chief Minister Fadnavis, have confirmed this fact.
When some of the Sena MLAs were contacted, they agreed that there was some confusion in the house during the trust vote.
“The MLAs on the back benches might not have heard what legislative party leader Eknath Shinde said at that time and might have just walked away,” a first time MLA told the FPJ.
It is also being said that a close trusted aide of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was present in the visitors’ gallery of the Maharashtra Assembly during the proceedings and many MLAs actually walked away from the house after they were signaled to by that person.
People privy to its party affairs also said that the internal differences within the Shiv Sena have resurfaced after the trust vote.
“There was a minor altercation post the trust vote. A few senior MLAs were unhappy with the fiasco in the house,” said an MLA.
“Some MLAs felt that the Leader of Opposition made a mistake and was not prompt enough to demand a division of votes, and they were visibly upset,” said another MLA.
An MNS leader alleged that the floor management was more or less orchestrated. The Sena MLAs were experienced enough to take the call, he felt.
