A day after the revolt led by Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde pushed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra to the brink of collapse, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday claimed that it had the support of 134 MLAs. Shinde, along with 21 legislators, went incommunicado on Monday night soon after the results of Maharashtra Legislative Council polls were announced.
"In the MLC elections on Monday, the BJP managed to secure 134 votes, which technically means we are short of 11 votes to stake claim to form government. But it easier to say it than actually make it happen," BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar was quoted as saying by NDTV.
The total strength of Maharashtra Assembly is 288 and after the death of one legislator the number came down to 287. In the event of a trust vote, the majority mark will be 144.
Shiv Sena has 55 MLAS, NCP (53), Congress (44), Bahujan Vikas Agahdi (three), Samajwadi Party, AIMIM and Prahar Janshakti Party two each. MNS, CPI-M, PWP, Swabhimani Paksha, Rashtriya Samaj Party, Jansurajya Shakti Party and Krantikari Shetkari Paksha have one MLA each. There are 13 independent MLAs.
The MVA alliance has 152 MLAs at present, but if the ministers and MLAs who went missing resign, the ruling coalition's strength will come down to 130. The opposition BJP has 106 MLAs.
Leaders of NCP and Congress, the other constituents of the MVA, however, asserted that there is no threat to the stability of the state government.
As Sena struggled to quell the unrest, party MP Sanjay Raut claimed that contact has been established with Shinde, who he described as a loyal Shiv Sainik of Balasaheb Thackeray.
