Amidst the coronoavirus crisis, a bitter tussle is on between the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the BJP over the alleged delay by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in accepting state cabinet’s recommendation to nominate chief minister Uddhav Thackeray as a member of the State Legislative council.
Thackeray will have to resign if he doesn’t become a member of the state legislature by May 28. MVA leaders suspect a political conspiracy behind the alleged ‘delay’ in clearing the recommendation sent by the cabinet to the Governor more than two weeks ago.
While the Shiv Sena is building up pressure on Koshyari, Thackeray on Sunday said nobody should play dirty politics in the current situation. The BJP hit back saying the onus of getting Thackeray elected to the legislature was on the ruling party and not on the opposition and that the Sena should stop blaming the BJP for its problems.
“I am keeping politics aside. Power comes and goes. Nobody should resort to dirty politics. This is not the time for politics. There are lives of people at stake,” Thackeray said while addressing people through social media.
He also lauded union transport minister Nitin Gadkari for his advice to state’s politicians to stand behind the state government in the time of crisis.
{{/usCountry}}He also lauded union transport minister Nitin Gadkari for his advice to state’s politicians to stand behind the state government in the time of crisis.
{{/usCountry}}“I thank Nitinji Gadkari for appealing to everybody to keep politics aside and support the state government in its battle against coronoavirus,” Thackeray said.
Sena MP and executive editor of party mouthpiece Saamana, Sanjay Raut on Sunday wrote that he trusted Governor Koshyari to accept the recommendation but at the same time cautioned that there could be repercussions if the state cabinet’s recommendation was rejected. He also pointed out two instances in the past when chief ministers were initially not a member of the legislature and were later nominated by the state’s governor ---C Rajagopalachari as the chief minister of then Madras province in 1951 and Chandrabhan Gupt of Uttar Pradesh in 1961. In case of Gupt, the decision was challenged before Allahabad High Court but it refused to intervene, he added.
Last Sunday, Raut had tweeted: “Raj bhavan , governor’s house shouldn’t become center for political conspiracy. Remember! History doesn’t spare those who behave unconstitutionally.”
Leaders of the Shiv Sena as well as other two ruling partners, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party, are not sure whether the Governor would nominate Thackeray, failing which he may have to quit by May 28 since the constitution makes it mandatory for a minister or chief minister to get elected to the state legislature within six months of swearing-in.
Thackeray was not a member of the state legislature when he took oath as the chief minister on November 28 after breaking up with the BJP and joining forces with the Congress-NCP after last year’s assembly elections.
“We suspect the Center wants to impose the President’s Rule in the state. If Thackeray is not nominated by the Governor, he would have to resign. Then the Governor may recommend the President’s Rule if we insist on Thackeray again swearing-in as the chief minister,” said a key MVA leader who did not wish to be named because Koshyari was yet to take a decision.
Thackeray had planned to contest a by-election to the legislative council that was scheduled in April but was postponed due to Covid-19 outbreak. State cabinet on April 9 recommended that he be nominated to the council to occupy one of the two empty seats out of the 12 nominated by the Governor.
State cabinet wants Koshyari to consider Thackeray as a special case in view of the emergency situation in the state.
State revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat who is also the state Congress chief, said, “The confusion should be ended by the Governor. We trust him not to let uncertainty prevail in the middle of an emergency situation.”
Senior BJP leader Ashish Shelar said the Sena should stop blaming others for its problems.
“Getting Thackeray elected to the legislature is the responsibility of the ruling party and not the opposition. Why didn’t he opt to contest the by-election for Yavatmal council seat held earlier this year? Why did Sena’s partner NCP not include Thackeray’s name when it recommended its two members for the council? Further, why didn’t Sena ask one of its legislators to resign so that Thackeray could contest the by-election,” asked Shelar. He added that the Governor would consider the constitutional provisions and accordingly take a decision.
He also remarked that Thackeray should tell people why he is not taking opposition leaders into confidence on measures being adopted to handle Covid-19 outbreak instead of accusing others of playing dirty politics.
Political analyst Prarap Asbe said: “Thackeray would have expressed his unhappiness because he is not happy with the way his government is being attacked by the BJP in the state.
“As far as Thackeray’s nomination to the legislature is concerned, the decision of the state cabinet is binding on the governor. Still, if he chooses not to accept it, there could be a political crisis in the state. Of course, such decisions are taken by considering how the people will react,” he said.