Mumbai: While major political parties are slugging it out to form a government amidst twists and turns, all eyes are now on which way 13 Independents and 16 MLAs from smaller parties will swing in the quest to achieve the 145-mark in the 288-member House in floor test.
The Shiv Sena, which is in talks with the Congress-NCP to form a government sans one-time ally BJP, claims to have the support of seven MLAs apart from its own flock of 56.
The BJP, which emerged the largest party in the October 21 Assembly poll with 105 seats, claims to have the support of 14 more MLAs, taking its tally effectively to 119.
It is not certain how many MLAs, if any, are backing NCP leader Ajit Pawar who joined hands with the BJP on Saturday and took oath as deputy CM in the BJP-led government under chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Achalpur MLA and Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP) chief Bacchu Kadu, who had given the Sena a letter of support several days ago, on Sunday told PTI he and his two legislator colleagues will continue to back the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
Krantikari Shetkari Paksh (KSP) MLA Shankarrao Gadakh has also given a letter of support to Sena, which has also managed to garner backing of Ashish Jaiswal (Ramtek), Narendra Bhondekar (Bhandara), Manila Gavit (Sakri) and Chandrakant Patil (Muktainagar).
MLAs supporting BJP comprise Independents Ravi Rana (Badnera), Kishore Jorgewar (Chandrapur), Geeta Jain (Mira Bhayander), Mahesh Baldi (Uran), Sanjay Shinde (Karmala), Rajendra Raut (Barshi), Pakash Awade (Ichalkaranji), and Rajendra Patil (Shirol). BJP also claims the support of PWP MLA Shyamsunder Shinde (Loha), Rashtriya Samaj Paksh’s Ratnakar Gutte from Gangakhed, Rajesh Patil from Bhoisar, Kshitij Thakur from Nalasopara, Hitendra Thakur from Vasai, all from the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi(BVA), and Jan Surajya Shakti Party's Shahuwadi MLA Vinayak Kore.
Others in the Assembly include AIMIM and Samajwadi Party with two MLAs each, and CPM, MNS, RSP and Swabhimani Paksh with 1 MLA each. In the polls, results of which were declared on October 24, BJP got 105 seats, followed by Sena with 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.
