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.

Hours after taking oath as CM, Shinde landed in Goa at midnight to meet his colleagues who had supported him in rebelling against the Shiv Sena leadership.

"My colleagues and entire Maharashtra is happy that Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sainik has become the chief minister of the state," Shinde said at the Goa Airport.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on July 11 the plea of Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu seeking suspension from assembly of Chief Minister Shinde and 15 rebel MLAs against whom disqualification pleas are pending, saying it was “fully conscious” of the issue.