'Ready To Prove Majority': BJP After SC Orders Maharashtra Floor Test

The BJP on Tuesday said it respects the Supreme Court's direction calling for a floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday, and expressed confidence that the party will prove its majority. (Catch all live updates on Maharashtra political crisis here)

"We respect the court order. We are ready to prove majority and we will show it," Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that the floor test for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the Maharashtra Assembly be conducted on Wednesday.

It also directed Governor Koshyari to ensure that all elected members of the House are sworn in on Wednesday itself.

The apex court also said that the entire proceedings have to be telecast live. Voting in the Assembly shall not be on the basis of secret ballot, it said.

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The top court said that to have a stable government in the state, the floor test has to be conducted as soon as possible and the governor should appoint a pro-tem speaker for administering oath to the elected members.

The three-judge bench of the apex court was hearing a joint plea moved by the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena.

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While the three-party coalition claims it has support of 162 MLAs, including most of the NCP MLAs as Ajit Pawar submitted the letter of support as the leader of the NCP legislature party. 

BJP leader Ashish Shelar said, "We are confirmed that Ajit Pawar is the leader of NCP on the Floor of the House, and his whip will hold as leader of legislature party."

However, the NCP has designated Jayant Patil as the new leader of the legislature party.

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Ajit Pawar told the court he is from the real NCP and was authorised by 54 of the party's MLAs to take a decision on their behalf on government formation.

The BJP is the single largest party with 105 MLAs in the 288-member state assembly followed by the Shiv Sena (56), NCP (54) and Congress (44). The majority mark is 145.

(With inputs from PTI)