Oppn demands Shinde govt announce schedule for Maha Legislative Council chairman election

MLAs protesting outside Maharashtra Assembly on August 22. File Pic/ Pradeep Dhivar

The opposition on Wednesday sought to corner the Maharashtra government by demanding that it announce the schedule for the election for the Chairman of the Legislative Council.

The post is vacant since July 7 when Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar's term ended.

Shashikant Shinde of the NCP raised the issue in the Council, saying the issue had been discussed in the Business Advisory Committee.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had said they will talk to group leaders of the House on the issue, he said.

"Tomorrow is the last day of this session," the NCP MLC pointed out.

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Bhai Jagtap of Congress demanded that the election schedule be announced on Thursday.

Sachin Ahir, who belongs to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, said the election of Assembly Speaker was delayed despite requests from the then Thackeray-led government.

But when the government changed, the election for Speaker was held immediately, he said.

Anil Parab of the Thackeray-led Sena said chief minister Shinde had assured that he will hold a meeting of group leaders and take a decision.

"We should at least know when the meeting with group leaders will take place," Parab said.

Jayant Patil (Peasants and Workers Party) said it is the governor who decides the election schedule.

Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe immediately pointed out that the governor takes decision only after the cabinet takes decision on it.

Ruling alliance partners BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction do not have the numbers to get their candidate elected in the Upper House.

In the 78-member Council, the BJP has 24 members, Shiv Sena 12 and Congress and the NCP 10 each. There has been no split among the Shiv Sena members in the Upper House following Eknath Shinde's rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray.

Lok Bharti, Peasants and Workers Party of India and Rashtriya Samaj Paksh have one member each.

There are four independents while 15 seats are vacant.

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