Maharashtra Governor keeps Uddhav on tenterhooks on nomination to legislature

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service
Mumbai, April 21

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari has put a question mark over the nomination of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to the state legislature.

Koshiyari has sought legal opinion on the recommendation by the Maharashtra cabinet to nominate Thackeray to the upper house of the state legislature from the Governor’s quota.

Thackeray, whose election to the state legislative council has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, has sought nomination to the upper house. He has to be elected to either of the two houses in the state legislature within six months of taking over as Chief Minister.

With the Governor making things difficult for Thackeray, the Shiv Sena has gone on the offensive against Koshiyari and the BJP government at the Centre. Party mouthpiece Saamna has hit out at the Narendra Modi government “for playing politics when the state is busy grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic”.

The Maharashtra cabinet at its meeting chaired by Deputy Chief

Minister Ajit Pawar had on April 9 recommended that Thackeray be nominated to the legislative council from the Governor’s quota. Raj Bhavan sources have indicated that Koshiyari has sought legal opinion on the matter much to the consternation of the Shiv Sena.

On the other hand, the Maharashtra unit of the BJP has accused the Shiv Sena of failing on the issue of law and order after two sadhus and their driver were lynched at Palghar outside Mumbai last weekend.

Under the law Thackeray has be elected to either house of the

legislature by May 28.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.