Maharashtra political crisis: Here's how the numbers stack up in 288-member Assembly

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Over a week after the Shiv Sena lawmakers led by Eknath Shinde raised the banner of revolt against the party, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has asked the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to take a floor test on Thursday, although the Sena has approached the Supreme Court challenging the direction.

The letter was issued by Koshyari to Maharashtra Legislature's Principal Secretary Rajendra Bhagwat on Tuesday night, after a group of BJP leaders, including former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, met him at the Raj Bhavan and urged him to direct the government to prove its majority in the wake of the Sena MLAs' rebellion.

However, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court against the Governor's direction. The apex court is set to hear the plea at 5 pm.

In what seems to be an apparent bid to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, dissident legislators of Shiv Sena, which heads the ruling coalition, along with some Independents have been camping in Guwahati, around 2,700 km away from Mumbai, since June 22.

Amid political turmoil in Maharashtra, here's a look at the party position in the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

There are a total of 288 members in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. So the halfway mark is 145 to form the government.

How the numbers stack up in Assembly?

Following is the party position in the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly -
Shiv Sena 55
NCP 53
Congress 44
BJP 106
Bahujan Vikas Aghadi 3
Samajwadi Party 2
AIMIM 2
Prahar Janshakti Party 2
MNS 1
CPI (M) 1
PWP 1
Swambhimani Paksha 1
Rashtriya Samaj Paksha 1
Jansurajya Shakti Party 1
Krantikari Shetkari Party 1
Independents 13

There is one vacancy due to the death of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke last month.

Out of the 55 Shiv Sena MLAs, 38 are in Guwahati along with 10 independents.

Two NCP members - Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal - have tested Covid-19 positive, while two other party legislators - Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik - are currently in jail.

(With inputs from PTI)