‘Move Supreme Court against Governor’s letter for floor test’

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said on Wednesday that Maharashtra's ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA will need to move the Supreme Court against Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari'sKoshyari's letter authorizing the Uddhav Thackeray-led dispensation to face a floor test on June 30.

Governor Koshyari has asked the Maharashtra Legislature Secretary to hold a floor test of the Shiv Sena-led government at 11 am on Thursday.

Chavan told the PTI that the apex court has maintained status quo over the case until July 11.

He was referring to the Supreme Court's move on Monday to keep the proceedings before the Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly in abeyance until July 11.

The MVA will have to move the apex court against the governor's letter for a floor test. The Shiv Sena legislature party has splits, and the deputy speaker of the Assembly will have to acknowledge that. He said that the rebel MLAs have to give a letter informing them they have the support of the two-thirds of the legislature party and that they have merged with another party.

Chavan said that if the rebels vote against the MVA government's confidence motion, they stand to be disqualified.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar convened a meeting of the MVA leaders on Wednesday to discuss the situation arising out of the governor's letter.

Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said he will arrive in Mumbai on Thursday for a floor test against the beleaguered Sena-NCP Congress government.