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NCP on alert mode as five MLAs from western Maha remain absent during polling
Congress MLA Praniti Shinde and BJP’s Pune legislators Mukta Tilak and Laxman Jagtap too did not participate in polling due to ill health
On Sunday, when Rahul Narvekar was elected as speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly with 164 votes in his favour defeating Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidate Rajan Salvi, who got 107 votes, alarm bells rung for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners.
At least five NCP MLAs remained absent for the crucial election for the post of Speaker. According to NCP leaders, Indapur MLA Datta Bharne couldn’t come after his mother passed away on Friday. Baban Shinde, MLA from Mhada too was absent as he is in Australia for personal reasons.
The other two MLAs —Dilip Mohite, and Anna Bansode reached Vidhan Bhavan late following which they could not participate. Besides, two MLAs of Congress including Sushil Kumar Shinde’s daughter Praniti, an MLA from Solapur, and another AIMIM MLA were also absent. Another MLA Nilesh Lanke, did not participate as he is unwell , said NCP leaders.
However, political experts observed that all is not well in the MVA camp as Pimpri and Parner legislators Bansode and Lanke, who remained absent are considered close to former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. MLA Dilip Mohite Patil was unhappy with Thackeray government for ignoring Khed constituency.
Despite repeated calls, MLA Patil , Anna Bansode and Lanke were unavailable for comment.
“MLA Bharne’s mother passed away while legislator Mohite is in Australia. MLA Lanke is ill and needs bed rest. These are the genuine reasons and there is no other reason behind their absence. They had informed us in advance and the same has been communicated to the MVA partners,” said NCP Spokesperson Ankush Kakade.
Kakade and other NCP leaders were silent about whether these MLAs will participate in Monday’s floor test, which is crucial for Eknathj Shinde government to prove majority.
Kasba MLA Mukta Tilak and MLA Chinchwad MLA Laxman Jagtap, both of whom are from the BJP also remained absent on health grounds.
MLA Dilip Mohite had expressed his displeasure at the MVA government at the time of Rajya Sabha elections and openly said that the work of the legislative assembly was not being done. At that time Ajit Pawar had spoken to him after which he became ready to cast his vote for Rajya Sabha elections. Bansode is an Ajit Pawar loyalist and was elected for the second time as the NCP legislator wherein Pawar had campaigned extensively for him.
Late on Sunday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had called a meeting of the party MLAs to discuss Monday’s Trust Vote and the leader from the party who will be chosen as the Leader of Opposition. The issue of those absent was also discussed in the meeting.
