The special session of the Lower House of the state legislature began here at 11 am

Several members belonging to the ruling parties, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, took oath as members of the assembly

However, members from the opposition parties - Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) - decided not to take oath

Talking to reporters on the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said, "The MVA has decided not to take oath as members of the House today. When a government comes to power with such a thumping majority, there are celebrations. A question arises whether the mandate it received was given by the people or the EVM and Election Commission of India"

The opposition is also protesting against the curfew and arrests in Markadwadi village in Malshiras assembly constituency in Solapur, where the villagers sought a 're-poll' using ballot papers, he said

"We are not taking oath, taking into cognisance the doubts in the minds of people," he added

The opposition is also protesting against the curfew and arrests made in Markadwadi village in Malshiras assembly constituency of Solapur, where villagers have been demanding a mock poll using ballot papers, Thackeray said

"We are not taking oath considering the doubts that people have in their mind," he added

In the November 20 assembly polls, the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP retained power in Maharashtra, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 assembly seats. The BJP won 132 seats, the Shiv Sena 57 and the NCP got 41 seats