The vote of confidence for the BJP-led Government in Maharashtra will be held on Wednesday but the Shiv Sena and BJP have not managed to resolve their differences and come together for a coalition in the State.

The last chances for a patch-up have also receded with both parties filing separate candidates for the position of Assembly Speaker.

On Tuesday, BJP MLA from Aurangabad Haribhau Bagde filed his nomination papers for the post, while the Shiv Sena nominated its MLA Vijay Auti from Ahmednagar.

The deadline for submitting nominations was extended by three hours after the Shiv Sena raised certain technical issues.

The Congress had said that it would support the NCP candidate. Since the NCP did not put up a candidate, it decided to field former minister Varsha Gaikwad from Dharavi in Mumbai for the post.

The Speaker’s election is a crucial litmus test for the Devendra Fadnavis Government. The Chief Minister will have to prove his strength on the floor of the Assembly on Wednesday morning before facing the crucial vote of confidence in the afternoon.

In spite the rancour between his party and the Sena, Fadnavis was very upbeat about both elections. He told media persons that all parties should ensure that a unanimous candidate is elected for the august post of Speaker.

He said he would speak to Shiv Sena and Congress leaders for arriving at a consensus candidate.

At the time of going to press, Shiv Sena MLAs were holding a meeting with the party’s leadership for devising a strategy for the vote of confidence motion. The party had issued a whip asking all its MLAs to remain present in the Assembly during the crucial hours on Wednesday.

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