MVA, BJP tussle over legislature seat for Uddhav Thackeray

Amidst the state’s Covid-19 crisis, a bitter tussle is on between the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the ‘delay’

Amidst the state’s Covid-19 crisis, a bitter tussle is on between the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the ‘delay’ by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in accepting the state cabinet’s recommendation to nominate chief minister Uddhav Thackeray as a member of the Legislative Council (MLC).

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Thackeray will have to resign if he does not become a member of the state legislature by May 28. MVA leaders suspect a political conspiracy in Koshyari’s delay as the cabinet had sent its recommendation more than two weeks ago. While the Shiv Sena is building pressure on Koshyari, Thackeray urged politicians on Sunday not to play dirty politics in the current situation. The BJP hit back saying that the Sena should stop blaming it 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 at stake,” said Thackeray, as he addressed people through social media.

He also lauded Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari for his advice to Maharashtra’s politicians to stand behind the state government in this time of crisis.

“I thank Nitinji Gadkari for appealing to everybody to keep politics aside and support the state government in its battle against the coronavirus,” Thackeray said.

Leaders of Shiv Sena as well as the other two parties of the MVA – Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – are not sure whether the Governor will approve Thackeray’s nomination in time. This would mean the Shiv Sena leader may have to resign by May 28 since the Constitutional provision makes it mandatory for a minister or CM to be elected to the state legislature within six months of his swearing-in. Thackeray was not a member of the Legislature when he took oath as CM on November 28 after he decided to snap ties with pre-election ally BJP and joined forces with Congress-NCP after last year’s Assembly elections.

“We suspect the Center wants to impose President’s Rule in the state. If Thackeray is not nominated by Governor, he would have to resign. The Governor may recommend President’s Rule if we insist on Thackeray again swearing-in as chief minister,” said a key MVA leader who did not wish to be named.

Thackeray had planned to contest a by-election to the Legislative Council that was scheduled in April but was postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. As such, the cabinet on April 9 recommended that he be nominated to the Council on one of the two vacant slots under the Governor’s quota. The state cabinet wants Koshyari to consider Thackeray as a special case given the health crisis.

Maharashtra revenue minister and state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, 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 election for the Yavatmal Council seat earlier this year? Why did his partner, the NCP, not include his name when it made the government recommend its two members for the Council? Further, why didn’t the Sena ask one of its legislators to resign so that Thackeray could contest the 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 regarding measures adopted to handle the Covid-19 outbreak instead of accusing others of playing dirty politics.

Political analyst Pratap 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 long 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.”