‘Election for Speaker’s post after review of MLAs’ attendance: Maha CM tells Guv

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray replied to governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s letter apprising him of the government’s stand on the three topics mentioned by the latter

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray replied to governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s letter apprising him of the government’s stand on the three topics mentioned by the latter. In his letter, Thackeray said the state government will hold the election to the post of the speaker at the earliest, after reviewing the attendance of members of legislative assembly (MLA) amid the second wave of pandemic.

Thackeray has also stated that in the wake of the pandemic situation it would not advisable to hold the two-day monsoon session, beginning from July 5, for long. (ANI file photo)

In response to the query over the duration of the session, the CM reminded him that the business advisory committee (BAC) has the right to decide on it. Responding to the governor’s query over the election to the local bodies in the wake of the quashed political reservation to the other backward class, Thackeray said the state has already taken due steps. The CM said the state government has moved a petition in the apex court and also requested the State Election Commission to defer the bypolls to the local bodies.

In his letter to the CM on June 24, Koshyari had directed the latter to elaborate on the government’s stand on extending the period of session, election to the post of speaker and deferment of bypolls. The letter was written by the governor after a delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders led by leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis called on him at Raj Bhavan. The BJP delegation had requested for the direction by the Governor for the monsoon session of longer duration, holding speaker’s election in the monsoon session and put the bypolls on hold until the OBCs get their political reservation back.

Apart from the statement on the three topics raised by Governor, the CM has also requested the former to help the state in getting the empirical data required for the restoration of the OBC reservation. “The reservation has been struck down for want of empirical data on the backwardness of the communities. The central government can avail the data for which we have requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi during our meeting. I would request you to use your good office for the follow-up with the Centre to get the empirical data from 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Survey,” he said.

Thackeray has also stated that in the wake of the pandemic situation it would not advisable to hold the two-day monsoon session, beginning from July 5, for long. “BAC has the right to take a decision over the duration of the session. The second wave of the pandemic has not been subsided as yet and there is a possibility of the third wave in the coming months as anticipated by the experts. As far as the election to the post of speaker is concerned, the government wants to hold it at the earliest. However at the same time, we want all MLAs to participate in the poll. The schedule of the election could be finalised only after the results of RT-PCR tests which are mandatory for every member to attend. Currently, deputy speaker Shri Narhari Zirwal has been performing the duties of the speaker and we do not think not holding the election has violated any constitutional provisions,” the letter read.

The letter is assumed to have started another tiff between Raj Bhavan and Mantralaya. “The CM has subtly pressed the point that the decision over the duration of the session is the prerogative of the BAC. He has also put the ball in Raj Bhavan’s court to get the empirical data from the Centre for the restoration of the OBC quota in the local body polls by requesting him for a follow-up with the Centre. Ahead of the budget session in March, the governor had written a letter asking the government to hold the speaker’s election. This time, he instead of directing the government had asked for the information, but it was in the response to the demand by the BJP. This has not gone well with the political leadership of the state,” said a senior minister.

In October last year, Koshyari and Thackeray engaged in a letter war over reopening of religious places in the state, as part of the unlocking of Covid-enforced curbs. In the acrimonious exchange of letters, the governor, making a case for reopening places of worship, asked the CM if he had “turned secular”. Thackeray shot back, asking if Koshyari does not believe in “secularism as enshrined in the Constitution”, adding that his Hindutva doesn’t need the governor’s certificate.