Sena, Cong & NCP led MVA likely to opt for open ballot in trust vote to prevent split in rank and file

Mumbai:

In order to prevent any split in its ranks, the Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will go for an open ballot trust vote (voice vote), rather than opt for voting by secret ballot (ballot paper). Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has already raised questions over the MVA secrecy over the trust vote and still herding its MLAs under protection.

That explains as to why the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) mindful of potential rebels spoiling the party has decided to appoint Dilip Walse-Patil as Pro-tem Speaker. Patil has been the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in the past and is well versed in the procedures and tackling tricky situations in the legislative assembly.

Fadnavis wanted to know that if the MVA government claims to have the majority then why are they secretly calling the house?  Why efforts to change the Pro-tem Speaker, going against the rules? Why still doubt your own MLAs so much? Why are they still hiding them?, he further wanted to know.

The former chief minister further sarcastically pointed out that the BJP has already announced that it will sit in the opposition. Fadnavis pointed out that the MVA has made so many claims that they have full majority, that too exhibiting in different ways, why this secrecy and fear? 

It may be recalled that senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had in the run up to the MVA government formation had claimed that the MVA enjoys the support of 162 MLAs. He even quipped that the tally might reach 170, to which NCP president Sharad Pawar  quipped “better ask Raut how he got that 170 figure!”

According to former legislature secretary Anant Kalse the trust vote is conducted by an open ballot. In other words it is held by voice vote with members in favor of the motion raising their hands when the voting is called for and against the trust motion. If only any member calls for a division of votes then the head count of the members standing in their respective aisles depending upon their preference of vote.

Sources argue that in the secret ballot there is the fear for the MVA that its members might vote against the motion, resulting in the government losing the trust vote and collapsing on the floor of the house. In an open ballot, the members have no other option but to obey the party whip issued by the legislature party leader. If they openly defy the party whip then they stand to be disqualified if their group is not two-thirds of their partys total strength in the house.

The party-wise tally of seats won as on October 24 was as follows: BJP 105, Sena 56, NCP 54, Congress 44, Independent’s 13, BVA 3, MIM 2, Samajwadi Party 2, PJP 2, KSP 1, PWP 1, CPI-M 1, JSS 1, RSP 1, MNS 1 and Swabhimani Paksha 1.

Out of these Raut has been claiming that the MVA has the support of 162 MLAs. The BJP besides its own 105 claims to enjoy the support of 7 to 8 Independent MLAs, besides the possible support from the lone PWP-I MLA, pushing its tally to about 113 MLAs. In order to win the trust vote any party needs to command the support of 145 MLAs.

With the Sena walking out of its alliance and the NCP too ditching it after a brief three day courtship the BJP announced that it cannot form a stable government. The BJP needs the support of 32 more MLAs which is difficult under the present circumstances. The MVA on the other hand claims to enjoy support of 17 more MLAs.

The BJP can only hope to topple the government if a sizeable group of MLAs from the Congress, NCP or the Sena split, or abstain from voting, bring down the overall majority mark to manageable limits. By no means, the game is over as yet for the MVA or the BJP. It is all about keeping their respective flock together, till the job is done.