MVA should have filled speaker’s post after Patole’s resignation: Ajit Pawar

Responding to Pawar’s allegations, Patole while speaking in Delhi said, “Ajit Pawar is ‘lying’ and the then CM Uddhav Thackeray was informed before tendering resignation

A day after the Supreme Court ordered respite to Eknath Shinde government, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, including Ajit Pawar and Nana Patole, indulged in blame game.

Pawar blamed Congress leader Nana Patole of resigning without consulting the then CM Uddhav Thackeray saying it was announced only after he resigned. (HT FILE)

Speaking in Pune on Friday, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member and Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said that disqualification of 16 MLAs following the upheaval in the undivided Shiv Sena last year could have been effectively dealt with had the MVA moved swiftly after the resignation of Nana Patole as the Speaker of Maharashtra Assembly.

Pawar blamed Congress leader Nana Patole of resigning without consulting the then CM Uddhav Thackeray saying it was announced only after he resigned.

“I am not blaming any party of person, but it was a blunder of MVA not to fill the speaker’s post for a long time. The deputy speaker managed the house during this period. If the speaker had not resigned, he would have had the power to disqualify the first 16 rebel MLAs. There has been a previous case of Speaker Arun Gujrati suspending six MLAs who were planning to rebel,” he said.

Responding to Pawar’s allegations, Patole while speaking in Delhi said, “Ajit Pawar is ‘lying’ and the then CM Uddhav Thackeray was informed before tendering resignation.”

On the SC saying that Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s decision as the then governor to order a floor test for Thackeray within 24 hours was “not in accordance with the law”, Pawar said, “The person holding the post should work accordingly to the Constitution and not as per political background.”