‘Gifting Mercedes for post’ remark : MVA moves no-confidence motion against Neelam Gorhe

Speaking to the media outside the legislature on Wednesday, Uddhav Thackeray reiterated that the motion should have been moved much earlier. He accused Gorhe of violating legislative provisions and called for her removal without further delay

Mumbai: The opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Wednesday moved a no-confidence motion against Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe, following her recent allegations against Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. Gorhe had claimed that top positions in Uddhav’s party were given to those who gifted two Mercedes to the Thackeray family.

‘Gifting Mercedes for post’ remark : MVA moves no-confidence motion against Neelam Gorhe

A no-confidence motion is a parliamentary procedure through which legislators express their lack of trust in a member holding a key position, potentially leading to their removal from office if the motion is passed.

Addressing the issue, Uddhav Thackeray stated that the opposition expects the motion to be discussed in the ongoing budget session. He further criticised Gorhe, saying she should have been disqualified earlier for defecting from his party of Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde.

Gorhe made her remarks last month at the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in Delhi. She alleged that during her tenure in the undivided Shiv Sena under Thackeray, individuals could secure top positions by gifting luxury cars. Her comments sparked widespread protests by Shiv Sena (UBT) workers across Maharashtra. Party leader Sushma Andhare also issued a notice indicating plans to file a defamation suit against Gorhe. Against this backdrop, the opposition coalition formally moved the no-confidence motion against her.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve submitted the motion on Wednesday to the state legislature’s secretariat. Besides Danve, the letter, signed by 10 MLCs, includes Congress leaders Bhai Jagtap, Abhijeet Wanjari, and Rajesh Rathod, NCP (Sharad Pawar) leaders Shashikant Shinde and Eknath Khadse, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Anil Parab, Sunil Shinde, JM Abhyankar, Milind Narvekar, and Sachin Ahir.

“The Deputy Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Neelam Gorhe, has lost the confidence of the House. Hence, she should be removed from the post,” stated the letter submitted by Danve.

Speaking to the media outside the legislature on Wednesday, Uddhav Thackeray reiterated that the motion should have been moved much earlier. He accused Gorhe of violating legislative provisions and called for her removal without further delay. “She should have been disqualified long ago. We hope this no-confidence motion is discussed in the current budget session and that she is removed from her position,” Thackeray said.

Neelam Gorhe defected from Uddhav Thackeray’s faction and joined the Shiv Sena led by then-Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the first week of July 2023. During the monsoon session later that month, Shiv Sena (UBT) filed a disqualification motion against her and demanded her removal from the Deputy Chairperson’s post, arguing that she could not preside over a petition against herself. Subsequently, an MVA delegation met the Governor, urging his intervention to resolve the constitutional deadlock within the Legislative Council.