Shinde govt to face floor test on July 4

Mumbai: The day-old Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra will face the floor test on July 4, an official said on Friday.

BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar filed the nomination on Friday for the post of Assembly Speaker, the official said. Election for the post, if needed, will be held on July 3, when the special two-day session of the House begins, he said.

The position has been vacant since Nana Patole of Congress resigned from the post in February last year.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will table a motion of confidence in the Assembly on July 4, the official, a senior functionary in Vidhan Bhawan, said.

Munde meets Fadnavis

NCP leader Dhananjay Munde met newly-appointed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hours after the swearing-in ceremony, a close aide of Munde said on Friday.

The meeting took place at Fadnavis’s residence here late Thursday night and lasted for about half an hour, he claimed. Earlier on Thursday, a new government headed by rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde with Fadnavis as his deputy came to power in the state. Munde, who was minister for social justice in the previous Sena-NCP-Congress government, was originally with the BJP, but quit the party after falling out with his uncle and senior BJP leader late Gopinath Munde. Munde is known to have a good rapport with Fadnavis. He is also known for being close to senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar.