Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Wednesday stepped up its attack on Maharashtra governor over the delay in nominating 12 people-- recommended by the state government-- to the upper house of the state legislature, and alleged that while Bhagat Singh Koshyari was acting like an “agent” of the Central government, Maharashtra’s ruling coalition will not “surrender” like former Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani.
The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had submitted 12 names to be nominated to the Legislative Council from the governor’s quota to Koshyari on November 6 last year but despite repeated reminders, he hasn’t approved it.
The Saamana editorial said the governor seems to have decided to sit on the file till a government of his choice comes to power in Maharashtra. “The governor says, forget the appointments of 12 members till the government of his (governor’s choice) takes oath in Maharashtra,” said the editorial.
In a reference to Bombay high court’s recent remarks that “eight months seems to be beyond reasonable time” for the governor to decide on the recommendations of the state cabinet, the Saamana editorial said “the reluctance to abide by the constitution” could prove to be tricky for the governor.
“If the governor breaks the framework of the constitution, then he will lose his dignity. His own people are playing with his dignity… Koshyari’s behaviour as the governor is unconstitutional and politically biased… There can be no change of guard using Raj Bhavan and no one surrenders like former Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani. It was seen in West Bengal and Maharashtra,” the editorial said, also referring to power eluding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra and West Bengal after the last assembly elections in the two states.
{{/usCountry}}“If the governor breaks the framework of the constitution, then he will lose his dignity. His own people are playing with his dignity… Koshyari’s behaviour as the governor is unconstitutional and politically biased… There can be no change of guard using Raj Bhavan and no one surrenders like former Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani. It was seen in West Bengal and Maharashtra,” the editorial said, also referring to power eluding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra and West Bengal after the last assembly elections in the two states.
{{/usCountry}}The Sena mouthpiece claimed that the governor was Centre’s “political agent”. “Even after a reminder, the file of appointment of 12 members does not move forward. It means [that] his [governor’s] mind is not clear and he is under pressure from the top...,” it added. “In which month, will the governor take the decision?” asked the editorial.
The mouthpiece further claimed that senior Congress legislator Sharad Ranpise, during Independence Day celebration in Pune, asked the governor about the delay in the nominations. “The Governor responded by asking Ranpise why he was insisting on the appointments when the government was not? ... What does the governor mean by saying that the government should insist on it? Does it mean that one has to clap loudly or beat utensils and ring bells to attract his attention?” asked the editorial.
Maharashtra BJP spokesperson said they do not comment on Saamana editorials as a matter of policy. The Raj Bhavan, too, has not responded to the allegations made in Saamana.