The Hindu : Deshmukh wins trust vote

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 14, 2002

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Deshmukh wins trust vote

By Arunkumar Bhatt

The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh, (third from left) and his Ministerial colleagues flashing the victory sign after winning the trust vote on Thursday. — Photo: Vivek Bendre

MUMBAI June 13. The Democratic Front Government in Maharashtra, headed by Vilasrao Deshmukh, won the much-awaited vote of confidence with a comfortable margin in the Assembly today, outmanoeuvring the Opposition Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.

As against the DF's 143 votes, the saffron parties and their supporters could garner only 133. A total of 281 MLAs voted and five members of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) abstained.

Three hours before the House met to take up the confidence motion as directed by the Governor, P.C. Alexander, the Speaker, Arun Gujarathi, disqualified five MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), one of the Janata Dal and one nominated Anglo-Indian member under the Anti-Defection Law for withdrawing support to the DF Government.

The BJP leader, Gopinath Munde, said that the crossing over of the Janata Dal member, Gangaram Thakkerwad, did not amount to defection but a split in the party since it had only two members in the House, but Mr. Gujarathi did not budge from his decision.

The Opposition plea for a debate on the confidence motionwas resisted by the ruling combine.

Mr. Gujarathi made members of each side stand up and made each side carry out a head count; thus each side had no room for complaint.

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