Thackeray's Maha Vikas Aghadi wins Maharashtra floor test with 169 votes as BJP walks out

Two days after the Maha Vikas Aghadi's leader Uddhav Thackeray was sworn-in as the Chief Minister, the Shiv-Sena-Congress-NCP government was successful in proving a majority by garnering 169 votes in the floor test conducted on Saturday. As the Opposition staged a walkout - there were no votes against the alliance, while four chose to abstain from voting. The BJP walked out of the Assembly calling the session invalid, as BJP's Devendra Fadnavis alleged that the oath of the Chief Minister and MLAs were not according to constitutional norms. The floor test was initially supposed to be held on November 27, according to Supreme Court's order is being held on Saturday.

Maharashtra floor test: Nana Patole Cong's Speaker pick; BJP slams govt for rule-breaking

Opposition walks out

Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis opposed the Assembly in progress citing four points of contention -

• Vande Mataram was not sung at the start of the Assembly
• Oath taken by the ministers did not follow constitutional norms
• Change in pro-tem speaker before the floor test from BJP's  Kalidas Kolambkar to NCP's Dilip Walse Patil
• Conducting the floor test before electing a new Speaker

MASSIVE: Maharashtra floor test at 5pm on Wednesday; Protem Speaker to conduct, orders SC

SC order on Floor test

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered an open floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday - November 27 at 5 PM. It added that a Protem Speaker must be appointed immediately and that he will hold the floor test. It also called a Special Assembly session on November 27 to administer the oath to all MLAs and stated that the floor test will be telecasted live.

NCP to pick Maharashtra Dy CM after Dec 22, Ajit Pawar to join govt before that: Sources

Maha Cabinet

Meanwhile, sources have revealed the portfolios to be held by the ministers of the three parties in the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Sources report that the Congress plans to keep the ministeries of Revenue, Public Works Department (PWD), Excise department, while the NCP is set to get the plum portfolios of Home, Finance, and Environment, as per sources. Shiv Sena, on the other hand, will allegedly retain Urban development, Irrigation, and MSRDC. Sources also report that Ajit Pawar too will be given a portfolio. NCP will decide on a Deputy CM pick after December 22, while the Congress has chosen Nana Patole as its Speaker pick.

Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi govt to face floor test on Nov 30

Uddhav takes oath as 1st Thackeray CM

The Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who is the first member of the Thackeray clan to hold a Chief ministerial position took oath at 6:40 PM  on November 30 at Shivaji Park after being unanimously selected as the Maha Vikas Aghadi leader. All MLAs were sworn-in on Wednesday in a special session, including Devendra Fadnavis who stepped down as CM after Ajit Pawar rescinded his support to the BJP-led government.