Maharashtra News highlights: Eknath Shinde says he used to meet Fadnavis when his group MLAs were asleep

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday won the crucial floor test in the state Assembly on the last day of the two-day special session of the House. In the 288-member House, 164 MLAs voted for the motion of confidence, while 99 voted against it. This is the second big legislative victory for the Shinde government -- sworn-in on June 30 along with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis -- in the past two days.

Eknath Shinde says he used to meet Fadnavis when his group MLAs were asleep

“Our numbers were less (than BJP’s) but PM Narendra Modi blessed us. Modi saheb told me before the swearing in that he will extend all possible help to me. Amit Shah saheb said he will stand behind us like a rock,” Shinde said. “But the biggest kalakar (artist) is this one,” Shinde said, pointing to Fadnavis, sitting to his right on the treasury benches.“We used to meet while my group MLAs were asleep and return (to Guwahati) before they woke up,” Shinde said.

Amid crisis within party, Uddhav Thackeray meets district chiefs of Shiv Sena

Some more MLAs are expected to join us: Eknath Shinde

NCP leader Ajit Pawar to be new Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly

The new government will establish 'public raj' and win 200 plus seats in next elections in Maharashtra: CM

Our agenda is Hindutva of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe: Shinde

I never aspired to be CM. The Shiv Sena and BJP have a natural alliance, I tried to convince the leadership 5 times: Eknath Shinde

Yes, they joined because of ED - Eknath and Devendra: Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis targets Opposition

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday slammed the Opposition over taunts that rebels joined the Eknath Shinde faction fearing action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

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Eknath Shinde breaks down during his speech referring to the death to his two kids. 'I gave time for Shiv Sena not family,' he said

Many people know how I was being sidelined, I decided to fight and die, but not to go back, says Eknath Shinde

Not only India, but 33 countries took note of this government formation: Shinde

The new government has come because of blessings of late Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe, says new CM Eknath Shinde after winning the trust vote

During the floor test, MLAs Abu Azmi and Rais Shaikh (both of the Samajwadi Party) and Shah Farukh Anwar (AIMIM) abstained from voting. Eleven Congress MLAs - Ashok Chavan, Vijay Wadettiwar, Dheeraj Deshmukh, Praniti Shinde, Jitesh Antapurkar, Zeeshan Siddiqui, Raju Awale, Mohan Hambarde, Kunal Patil, Madhavrao Jawalgaonkar and Shirish Chaudhary - were absent during the floor test. Chavan and Wadettiwar came late and were unable to enter the House at the time of the vote. The NCP legislators absent from the House were - Anil Deshmukh, Nawab Malik, Dattatray Bharane, Anna Bansode, Babandada Shinde and Sangram Jagtap. Deshmukh and Malik are currently in jail following arrest in separate money laundering cases. Two BJP MLAs - Mukta Tilak and Laxman Jagtap - both of whom are seriously ill, also did not come to the House, while BJP's Rahul Narvekar could not vote as he is the Speaker.

We are 40 MLAs, and, you call it rebellion? Gulabrao Patil, part of Eknath Shinde camp, asks

Some four people have kept us away from Uddhav ji and these people can't win elections: Gulabrao Patil

Fadnavis assured the House that there will never be a tussle for power in this government. "I would have even sat at home had the party told me - the same party that made me a CM," Fadnavis said.

We've seen that people were jailed for making statements & posting on social media. We should be prepared for people speaking against us: Fadnavis

In politics, everyone should be prepared to listen to adversary's voices. We've seen that people were jailed for making statements & posting on social media. We should be prepared for people speaking against us. We should respond to criticism but in a proper way: Maharashtra Dy CM Fadnavis

Fadnavis's address in Assembly

I've come back today and brought him (Eknath Shinde) along with me: Fadnavis

I had once said that I'll come back. But when I said that, several people mocked me. I've come back today and brought him (Eknath Shinde) along with me. I won't take revenge on people who mocked me. I'll forgive them, everything isn't taken to heart in politics: Devendra Fadnavis

On ED chants in the Assembly, Fadnavis says, "Yes, they all have come for ED.....ED is Eknath and Devendra"

Trust vote: A look at the numbers

The Shinde-Fadnavis government, during the trust vote, has secured 164 votes.

Santosh Bangar supported the Trust vote and was hooted at by the MLAs on the Opposition benches.

The Shinde-Fadnavis government crosses the benchmark of 145 votes during the headcount

Total strength of House: 288 (current strength - 287)

Counting is still under way

WATCH: Live Proceedings of the Maharashtra Assembly Proceedings

Uddhav Thackeray camp knocks Supreme Court doors against Shiv Sena chief whip appointment

The Uddhav Thackeray-led camp of Shiv Sena on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging the newly appointed Maharashtra Assembly Speaker's action of recognising the whip of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde group as the whip of Shiv Sena.

Narwekar late on Sunday recognised the appointment of Bharat Gogawale from the Shinde camp as the chief whip of the Sena, removing Sunil Prabhu, who belongs to the Thackeray faction.

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Today is the day of the final test for the Eknath Shinde government of Maharashtra... We will 100% win the Maharashtra floor test: Union Minister & BJP leader Raosaheb Patil Danve

Another MLA, Shyamsundar Shinde joined Eknath Shinde group just before the trust vote. So, since yesterday 2 Shiv Sena MLAs have switched sides. Aaditya Thackeray has not reached the House yet.

Trust vote proposed by BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar & Shiv Sena's Bharat Gogawale. After voice vote, on proposal of trust vote, opposition demands a division of vote

Speaker allows the demand & begins the division of votes, asks members to stand for head count

Floor test to evaluate strength of camp Shinde begins; rebels claim they have support of over 160 MLAs

Another Shiv Sena MLA of Uddhav Thackeray faction, Santosh Bangar, seen with Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and MLAs of his faction.

Bangar had left with the Shinde faction MLAs from hotel this morning and arrived with them at the Assembly now.

This (BJP & Shinde faction alliance) is a temporary arrangement, they will not be able to go to people. They were lions in Shiv Sena: Raut

This (BJP & Shinde faction alliance) is a temporary arrangement, they will not be able to go to people. They were lions in Shiv Sena. Even Kasab didn't have so much security but they had when they reached Mumbai. What are you scared of?: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

Party won't weaken, our oxygen isn't power: Sanjay Raut

We aren't strong because we are in power, we are strong & that's why we are in power.People come & go.They opted to join our party & left due to outside forces. We'll go to villages, will find other workers: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut

The Eknath Shinde group of Shiv Sena and BJP have claimed support of 166 MLAs ahead of the trust vote

NCP, with 53 MLAs, likely to be leading opposition party in the state Assembly. MVA partners agree.

Shiv Sena has called a meeting of all its District Chiefs this afternoon at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Mumbai.

Bharat Gogawale, Chief whip of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) has given a petition to the Assembly Speaker for the suspension of 16 MLAs of the party for violation of whip. The 16 MLAs will be issued notice for suspension, confirms the Speaker's office

NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde on Sunday said in the state Legislative Assembly that Milind Narvekar, a close confidante of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, had met BJP leader Fadnavis after the latter became deputy CM