NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Tuesday met Governor P C Alexander and sought ten days to prove his majority on the floor of the House.
He was accompanied by his deputy, Chhagan Bhujbal, of the Nationalist Congress Party.
Deshmukh's Democratic Front government, a coalition comprising the Congress, the NCP and several other smaller parties, suffered a major setback on Tuesday when four NCP MLAs withdrew support to the government.
Two more MLAs -- Hitendra Thakur of the Native People's Party and Gangaram Thakarwar of the Janata Dal (secular) -- also met the governor independently in the morning with letters of withdrawal of support to the government.
Earlier on Monday, the DF government was reduced to a simple majority after eight independent MLAs withdrew support to the government.
Talking to reporters after his meeting with the governor, Deshmukh said he would urge Assembly Speaker Arun Gujarathi to disqualify the four NCP members who withdrew support to the government on Tuesday without consulting the party on the issue.
Bhujbal blamed the opposition Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party combine for the crisis in the government.
Deshmukh earlier in the day had said that a few MLAs were being detained by the opposition at secret places. "I have instructed the home ministry to look into the matter," Deshmukh said.
ALSO SEE: Maharashtra government not in danger: Deshmukh Three independents inducted into Maharashtra ministry Sharad Pawar Rushes to Mumbai
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
