Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde clears floor test: Will not pursue politics of vendetta

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A DAY after it won the Speaker’s election with 164 votes, the BJP-Shinde group coalition cleared the confidence motion in the Maharashtra Assembly on Monday with the same tally as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde pledged to “take forward Hindutva” and a “development agenda” in the state.
The last phase of the two-day special session, triggered by the fall of the MVA government last week following a split in the Shiv Sena, was marked by an emotional speech from Shinde.
The Chief Minister referred to the death of two of his children in a boat accident in June 2000 among the challenges he has faced — and said he decided to lead the rebel Sena faction following a “plan” within the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray to “political finish” him.
“My two children died in front of me and I completely collapsed after that. I was not going out and had decided to leave everything. I would spend time with only my wife and son Shrikant (now an MP). But Dighe saheb (Shinde’s mentor, the late Anand Dighe) supported me and helped me come out of the situation. I then dedicated my life to work,” Shinde said.
The session also saw taunts by the new Opposition which chanted “ED, ED” in an apparent reference to the Enforcement Directorate, the central agency that is probing several state leaders, during the headcount. But Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis retorted: “Yes… this is an ED sarkar (government) but ED means Eknath and Devendra.”
The other point of note in Monday’s session was that 11 Congress and two NCP MLAs did not cast their vote. The division of votes showed 164 in favour of the motion, 99 against, and 24 absent votes, which included the new Speaker Rahul Narwekar.
Among the others who did not cast their votes were two ailing BJP members and two jailed NCP members, and MLAs from other smaller parties, and Independents.
After clearing the floor test, Shinde announced the new government’s first major decision — to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) and bring down petrol and diesel prices. Shinde also said that agriculture would get a boost to ensure zero farmers’ suicides in Maharashtra. On the political front, he said: “It will be our endeavour to win 200 seats out of 288 in the state assembly.” If he fails to do so, Shinde said: “I will retire to my village and do farming.”
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