Maharashtra Cabinet to ask governor to nominate CM Uddhav Thackeray as MLC at the earliest

Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministers said that Pawar will write to the Governor to speed up the procedure as there should be no political or constitutional uncertainty in the state at a time when it is fighting coronavirus.

The Maharashtra cabinet, in a meeting presided over by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Monday, decided to write to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari reiterating its earlier recommendation to process the nomination of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to the legislative Council at the earliest. The CM was not present for the meeting.

Maharashtra Chief Minster Uddhav Thackeray (Bhushan Koyande / HT File Photo)

“A decision was taken to reiterate the recommendation to nominate Uddhav ji to the legislative Council. A reference to the recommendation of the cabinet will be made in the new letter. Keeping politics aside, the Governor should nominate the CM to the upper house,” a cabinet minister said.

Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministers said that Pawar will write to the Governor to speed up the procedure as there should be no political or constitutional uncertainty in the state at a time when it is fighting coronavirus.

“The state is fighting Covid-19 and the government and administration are working round-the-clock. The situation is aggravating day-by-day. At this stage, the uncertainty should be eliminated and the honourable Governor should take a decision at the earliest on our recommendation,” Pawar said in a statement after the cabinet meet.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Thackeray and Ajit Pawar reportedly had a meeting at the mayor’s bungalow late on Monday evening. State NCP chief Jayant Patil, revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat and transport minister Anil Parab were also present at the meeting.The meeting assumes significance in the wake of the current political situation. The leaders are said to have discussed the issue of the CM’s nomination.

Thackeray, who is not a member of either house of the state legislature, took oath as the CM on November 28 and as per Article 164 (4) of the Constitution states, could lose the post if he is not elected with six months (May 27). As the polls for the legislative Council, scheduled for April 24, were postponed due to the outbreak, the cabinet had on April 9 recommended the Governor to appoint Thackeray as a member of the legislative Council (MLC) to avoid a constitutional crisis. However, the Governor has not taken a decision so far, leaving the three-party MVA alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress government on tenterhooks.

The Shiv Sena has been building pressure on the Governor. Sena leader Sanjay Raut in his weekly column on party mouthpiece Saamana had on Sunday said, “If the Governor decides to sign the nomination file, he can do so instantly. But he would have to ask the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] leaders in Delhi.”

Thackeray also had said that politics should be kept aside during the ongoing war against Covid-19.

(with inputs from Faisal Malik)