Mumbai: The Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has issued a whip to “all” its MLAs to remain present full-time during the Budget Session of the Maharashtra Legislature which began on Monday, in an apparent move to corner the faction headed by former CM Uddhav Thackeray.
However, despite assurance in the Supreme Court that MLAs from the Thackeray group should not be issued whip for two weeks, Shiv Sena (Shinde group) Chief Whip Bharat Gogawale has issued whip to all 55 MLAs to attend the session.
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Sat 16 Nov. 2024
The Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government collapsed in June last year after Shinde and 39 other MLAs revolted against the party leadership. The Election Commission recently allotted the ‘Shiv Sena’ name and the ‘bow and arrow’ poll symbol to the Shinde-led group.
Amid the Shiv Sena row, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar on Thursday said he has not got representation from any group claiming to be a separate party in the Lower House. The Speaker told a news agency that there is only one Shiv Sena with 55 MLAs which is led by Shinde and Legislator Bharat Gogawale has been recognised as its Chief Whip. Narvekar has approved the appointment of Shinde as the legislature party leader.
Gogawale on Sunday evening said, “We have issued a whip to all MLAs of the Shiv Sena asking them to remain present full-time during the Budget Session. If any legislator does not follow it, he/she will face action.” Notably, during a hearing in the Supreme Court last week over the Uddhav Thackeray faction’s plea challenging the decision of the Election Commission recognising the Shinde-led bloc as the real Shiv Sena, senior advocate N K Kaul, appearing for the Shinde bloc, assured the SC bench it will not take steps like issuing whip or initiation of disqualification proceedings against lawmakers — MLAs, MLCs and MPs — of the Thackeray faction for the time being.
The assurance came after senior advocate A M Singhvi, also appearing for Thackeray, had raised apprehension, saying “Tomorrow, if they issue a whip or a letter and if we do not do it then we will be disqualified. Now they are the party. I have no protection. Your lordships should give us the status quo at least.” This had led the SC bench to ask: “If we take this (petition for hearing) after two weeks, are you in the process of issuing a whip or disqualifying them.” “No, no,” responded Kaul.
When asked about it, Gogawale said, “The relief is only for two weeks. Asking legislators to attend the session full-time is not an action against them. We will come to know who attends and who does not.”
Gogawle, speaking to the media, defended the whip, stating that it was necessary for all Shiv Sena MLAs to attend the session. “The Supreme Court has given instructions not to take action, but attending the session is not an action. It is the whip that all should be present in the House,” he said.
However, Sunil Prabhu, the leader of the Thackeray group, responded to Gogawle’s statement, saying that they would use the whip to ensure their presence in the House. “They cannot issue a whip to us. The lawyers of the Shinde group told the court that no whip will be issued. If they continue to issue whips despite telling the court, we will go to the Supreme Court again for contempt of court,” Prabhu said while speaking to the media in the legislature area.
The situation has caused unrest in the state’s political circle, and the matter is likely to go to the Supreme Court again if the issue is not resolved soon.
