The deadlock in the Maharashtra Assembly following the suspension of 19 MLAs of the opposition Congress and the NCP for a period of nine months is likely to continue for another couple of days. The MLAs — nine from the Congress and 10 from the NCP — were suspended for creating a ruckus during the Budget presentation in the House last week.
The suspended MLAs will not be able to attend the proceedings of the House till December 31, if the action against them is not revoked. While the Opposition approached Governor Vidyasagar Rao, terming the suspension as unconstitutional, the government sources indicated that a solution could be arrived at in another day or two.
Though Speaker Haribhau Bagade called the rival groups for talks, which was also attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the meeting failed to defuse the situation. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Girish Bapat and PWD Minister Chandrakant Patil justified the suspension saying that even the Budget papers were burnt, and MLAs resorted to singing and playing of Taal (a small musical instrument) inside the House.
It was Bapat who moved the resolution seeking suspension of the MLAs, which was adopted by the House. Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil then led a walkout of opposition members from the House. Patil said that while they were demanding that the government give an assurance on farm loan waiver, the government, in turn, was trying to silence the Opposition.
NCP MLA Jayant Patil said that an embarrassed Fadnavis government wanted to save its face and has resorted to suspending the MLAs. The Opposition MLAs, with mouths gagged with black ribbons, also staged a sit-in at the entrance of Vidhan Bhavan.
Meanwhile, after a phone call from Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, party ministers met Chief Minister Fadnavis and conveyed their dismay over the "too harsh a decision". They made it clear that it is the party stand and that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray too is of the opinion that the action needs to be reconsidered.
Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan alleged that since Shiv Sena has also echoed its voice for loan waiver with Opposition, Government is losing its majority and that is the reason 19 MLAs have been suspended. Bapat however expressed confidence that Government was stable and no one would be able to move a no confidence motion against the Government.
The Government is believed to have prepared a list of 13 MLCs from legislative council for suspension but Government did move the proposal. Bapat informed that Government did not bring the proposal since it does not enjoy majority in Upper House.
List of suspended MLAs:
Congress — Amar Kale, Vijay Vadettiwar, Harshawardhan Sakpal, Abdul Sattar, DP Savant, Sangram Thopate, Amit Jhanak, Kunal Patil and Jaikumar Gore
NCP — Bhaskar Jadhav, Jitendrra Avhad, Madhusudan Kendre, Sangram Jagtap, Avadhoot Tatkare, Deepak Chavan, Narhari Jriwal, Vaibhav Pichad, Rahul Jagtap and Dattatray Bharane
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