The new Maharashtra government, led by chief minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy, Devendra Fadnavis, will uphold the previous government's decision to rename the cities of Aurangabad and Osmanabad, as well as the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, Fadnavis announced on Monday.
“Whatever decisions were taken in the last cabinet (meet), about renaming, we'll uphold those decisions as we're of the same view. We'll have to reaffirm those decisions as the last cabinet wasn't as per the rules as the Governor had already asked the government to face a floor test,” Fadnavis said in the Maharashtra assembly, according to news agency ANI.
The BJP leader was addressing the House shortly after the new government sailed through a floor test of its own, securing 164 votes in the 288-member assembly, while there were only 99 votes against it.
{{/usCountry}}The BJP leader was addressing the House shortly after the new government sailed through a floor test of its own, securing 164 votes in the 288-member assembly, while there were only 99 votes against it.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Eknath Shinde manages easy floor test win
On June 29, in what turned out to be its last cabinet meet, the-then ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition gave its nod to renaming Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar, Osmanabad to Dharashiv, and the Navi Mumbai airport after farmer leader DB Patil.
The move was seen as one last effort by Shiv Sena supremo and then-CM, Uddhav Thackeray, to woo back his party MLAs who had joined the Eknath Shinde-led revolt against Thackeray. It was also reported that two Congress ministers in the cabinet – Varsha Gaikwad and Aslam Shaikh – had stormed out of the meeting in protest against the move.
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However, in his address to the state that night, Uddhav said both of Sena's MVA allies – the NCP and Congress – were with him on the decision. In the same speech, he announced his resignation from the top post; the address came shortly after the Supreme Court refused to stay the Maharashtra governor's order to the MVA to face a floor test the next day.
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The state's incumbent dispensation was sworn in on June 30. Till now, only the CM and deputy CM have taken oath.
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