Mumbai: On Monday, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar allowed the opposition's request and started dividing the votes in the trust vote.

Bharat Gogawale of the Shiv Sena and Sudhir Mungantiwar of the BJP suggested the trust vote. Members of the opposition called for a split of the vote following a voice vote on the trust proposal.

The Speaker allowed the demand, started the vote-dividing process, and invited the members to stand for the headcount. Just before the trust vote, Santosh Bangar and Shyamsundar Shinde, two Uddhav Thackeray faction MLAs, joined the Eknath Shinde camp. 

Raosaheb Patil Danve, a Union Minister and BJP leader, expressed confidence in his party's strength to win the Maharashtra floor test prior to proceeding saying, "The Maharashtra government of Eknath Shinde is currently undergoing its last test. We will triumph in the Maharashtra floor test without a doubt."

Eknath Shinde govt to seek 'vote of confidence' today

Who is Rahul Narvekar? Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly

The great news! Rahul Narvekar appointed as new Assembly Speaker