Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao was reportedly injured in the ruckus outside the assembly.
Five Congress lawmakers from Maharashtra have been suspended for allegedly manhandling and injuring Governor C Vidyasagar Rao outside the assembly today evening, while they were protesting the controversial voice vote held earlier today which was won by the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.
Mr Fadnavis' minority BJP government had won the confidence motion through a voice vote, amid much drama and controversy.
The Congress and the Shiv Sena - which will now be the main opposition party in Maharashtra with its Eknath Shinde elected Leader of Opposition - were protesting against the Speaker, Haribhau Bagde's decision not to hold a division vote, in which legislators press buttons on a voting machine to record their votes, which are then counted.
In rare consonance, the two parties have demanded a fresh trust vote.
As the Governor made his way into the assembly this evening to make an address, Congress and Shiv Sena MLAs blocked his way, making it difficult for him to walk up the stairs. Mr Rao was allegedly manhandled and injured during the ruckus.
This morning, the floor test was brought swiftly forward ahead of schedule and the motion was moved and passed by voice vote. The Shiv Sena's legislators shouted the loudest nays and trooped into the well or centre, demanding division.
"The motion has been passed," Speaker Haribhau Bagade announced in the din and moved on to the next agenda. He later said outside the House, "I have followed procedure."
Mr Fadnavis tweeted a thank you and said, "I assure that each step by our govt will be in the interest of ppl of Maharashtra."
The decision to avoid a division vote is being seen as an attempt to not bring on record the possibility of Sharad Pawar's NCP having voted for the BJP or abstaining. NCP legislator Jitendra Awhad later said, "We had no time to react...to either abstain, or vote in favour...the BJP did not manage the voting process properly." But he said had the party participated, it would've abstained from the vote, which would have helped Mr Fadnavis win.
The NCP has offered external support to Mr Fadnavis, to "ensure a stable government," it says.
The NCP's former ally, the Congress called it a "black day for democracy." The party's Prithiviraj Chavan, called Mr Fadnavis' government an "illegitimate government."
"BJP government has betrayed the people. You have to prove majority," said the Sena's Ramdas Kadam.