Maharashtra: Winter session set to go the distance

With leaders from Vidarbbha occupying highest positions in the government, the winter session of state assembly which is held as a ritual and generally gets wound up fast, will now be held for more than a fortnight. According to sources, the session will be held between December 8 and 29 and announcement for the same would be made on Wednesday after the trust vote.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who hails from Nagpur, has expressed his determination to run the House till all the issues on agenda are discussed and decisions taken on them.

A senior MLA told dna that the government is determined to run the winter session for three weeks. A detailed schedule for the session has been finalised and governor C Vidyasagar Rao has given his nod for holding the winter session from December 8 in Nagpur.

The previous government used to wind up the winter session much before Christmas and the MLAs and bureaucrats used to return home. But this time, things are going to be different, confirmed a bureaucrat, not wishing to be named.

This session, Fadnavis would be taking up issues of Vidarbha which includes the ambitious MMIHAN (Multi-nodal International Cargo Hub and air-port at Nagpur) project, crop damage of soyabean-producing farmers, issue of cotton price coupled with farmers' suicide, development back-log of Vidarbha and other related issues.

Bagade to be presiding officer?
Sources within the party told dna that name of senior BJP MLA Haribhau Bagade is almost final for the post of presiding officer in the state assembly. Bagade is a five-time MLA and has won the elections from Phulambri assembly segment in Aurangabad district. Bagade has been working for the party since the Jansangh days.