Ahead of floor test to prove majority in Maharashtra, BJP brings in senior leaders

According to party functionaries aware of the development, apart from party general secretary Bhupender Yadav, who is helming the developments in the state, the party has identified a bunch of leaders who will reach out to MLAs for the floor test. Notable among them are Narayan Rane, former Congress man Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Ganesh Naik, a former Sena leader who contested as a BJP candidate in the assembly polls.

No date has been announced for the show of numbers on the floor of the House.

A senior party functionary said the BJP is confident of passing the floor test, but is ensuring that there are no hiccups while proving majority. The functionary, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not specify how many NCP MLAs had given letters of support for Fadnavis who took oath as CM on Friday.

“We will show the numbers, when the floor test is announced,” the functionary said, dubbing statements from NCP leaders, voicing support for the senior Pawar as “posturing”.

The party is banking on Rane, Patil and Naik to reach out to their former party colleagues to ensure support for Fadnavis.

While Rane is known for friendly ties with leaders across parties; Patil, a former leader of opposition in the legislative assembly who quit the Congress earlier this year, still wields considerable clout among his former party men.

“He has been an active politician for over four decades and knows the ropes,” said the functionary quoted above.

As for Naik, who was accommodated by the BJP for a ticket after initially dithering, the party is hopeful that the former cabinet minister would be able to swing support for the BJP as well.

On Sunday, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to place before it on Monday the letters of Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari inviting Fadnavis and of the BJP leader staking his claim to form the government in the state.