Maharashtra Parliamentary Affairs Minister Girish Bapat's hospitalisation is a blow for Fadnavis

The Devendra Fadnavis-led government is staring at one more problem — parliamentary affairs minister Girish Bapat, who has been hospitalised on Friday in Pune, is expected to be out of action for at least a fortnight during the monsoon session. The session starts from July 13.

Fadnavis will now have to look for either a senior minister to look after the floor management, or hand over the charge to Bapat's deputy Ranjit Patil.

The government had faced embarrassment during the winter and budget sessions because both the Houses had to be adjourned time and again for want of ministers. Being the parliamentary affairs minister, Bapat was held responsible.

He was planning to use a state-of the-art system in every minister's cabin such as a beep sound and a light which would alert the minster to be present in the House. Bapat was set to introduce this system during the monsoon session.