Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday expressed confidence that his party chief Uddhav Thackeray will remain the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Raut, however, questioned that what was stopping Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to nominate Thackeray as Minister of Legislative Council (MLC) from governor’s quota?
Uddhav Thackeray took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister on November 28, 2019, and is not the member of either house - legislative assembly or council. According to the Indian constitution, within six months of taking the oath, any minister is supposed to get elected in either state legislative assembly or council.
The deadline for Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to get elected to the state legislature is May 24. The Election Commission, however, has postponed the upcoming elections for the Rajya Sabha and other local bodies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Maharashtra cabinet, in absence of CM Uddhav Thackeray, decided to recommend his name to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari who has two vacant seats from the governor’s quota. The cabinet has recommended Thackeray’s name on one of them in order to avoid a constitutional crisis.
According to article 163 (3) of the Indian constitution, the Governor has to act on the advice of the council of ministers. Raut, however, said that Governor’s affiliation with the BJP was not a secret while stating that this was not the indulge in politics.
While talking to a Marathi news channel, Sanjay Raut said that the Maharashtra cabinet has recommended Uddhav Thackeray’s name for MLC from the governor’s quota. “Who is stopping him (Bhagat Singh Koshyari) from approving the same?” Raut asked.
On the possibility of ‘Operation Lotus’, Raut dared those trying to dethrone the Uddhav Thackeray government that they should desist from doing so while stating that neither Delhi or Raj Bhavan can stop Thackeray from staying at Chief Minister post even after the deadline.
Earlier, Sharad Pawar told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that it is being heard that governors in some states are directly issuing orders to the bureaucrats. Pawar raised issues in regard to Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and said, “…this creates two power centres in the state. The Governors should consult with the Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries to ensure smooth functioning of the government."
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