Maha: Shinde to prove majority in spl assembly session on July 3-4

The agenda will be — election of a new Speaker which is likely to take place on Sunday (July 3), followed by a ‘vote of confidence’ in the new government on Monday (July 4), according to officials.

The Speaker’s post is vacant since over a year after the previous incumbent, Congress’ Nana Patole had resigned over a year ago, and Nationalist Congress Party’s Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal functioned as Acting Speaker.

The latest developments came a day after the Shinde-Fadnavis government assumed charge following the abrupt resignation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on June 29.

Belying all expectations at the last-minute, the BJP offered the coveted post of CM to Shinde, and offered outside support, but hours later, following a Central party diktat, Fadnavis joined as Deputy Chief Minister — ending a 10-day long unprecedented political upheaval in the state.

The Shinde group has claimed the support of around 40 Shiv Sena MLAs plus 10 independents and others, besides the Bharatiya Janata Party’s 106 MLAs, well above the required 145 mark in the 288-member house.