Shiv Sena refuses to support BJP govt during Maha trust vote

Mumbai, Nov 12: Hours before Devendra Fadnavis government faces trust vote, the

on Wednesday said it will vote against it in the Maharashtra Assembly.

"Shiv Sena has decided to sit in opposition. We will vote against the trust vote," senior Sena leader Ramdas Kadam told reporters at Vidhan Bhawan here. "We have lost faith in them (BJP)," Kadam said.

However minutes after the decision Shiv Sena decided to support BJP's Haribhau Bagde for the post of Maharashtra Speaker. The Shiv Sena had earlier withdrawn its candidate Vijay Ahuti for the post of Speaker while Congress also withdrew its candidate for the same.

After Sena president Uddhav Thackeray addressed a meeting of party legislators here last night, Sena sources had said he will announce the party's stand on trust vote on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the BJP said the decision of Sena, with which it had an alliance for 25 years in Maharashtra, was not in the state's interest. "The Sena's decision is against the interests of Maharashtra," state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said.

IANS