Floor test soon? Fadnavis meets Maharashtra Guv, says MVA govt in minority

Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said that he along with other rebels will fly to Mumbai soon

The ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra may enter its final stages on Wednesday after former Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday asked the governor to order a floor test, claiming that the MVA government is in minority. 

"We have written to the Governor and told him that Shiv Sena's 39 MLAs are repeatedly saying they don't want to be in an alliance with the Congress-NCP. This means they are not with the government," Fadnavis said, adding that he has asked Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to direct Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to conduct a floor test and prove the majority of his government. 

Rebel Shiv Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde are camping at a hotel in Assam's Guwahati. Shinde has claimed that he has the support of almost 50 MLAs, 40 from Shiv Sena, the remaining, independent. 

The faction war in Shiv Sena triggered political turbulence in Maharashtra after Shinde flew to Surat with some MLAs and then to Guwahati. The rebel MLAs have demanded that the Shiv Sena walk out of the MVA, which also comprises Congress and the NCP, and patch up with its estranged ally, BJP.

Shinde on Tuesday said that he, along with other rebels, would fly to Mumbai soon, adding that he and Sena MLAs with him were firm on taking Bal Thackeray's Hindutva forward. 

Meanwhile, Uddhav appealed to the dissident MLAs to return to Mumbai and talk to him, saying "it's not too late."

"It is not too late. I appeal to you to return and sit with me and remove the confusion (created by your actions) among Shiv Sainiks and the public," Thackeray said in a statement, his aide quoted.