Shiv Sena MLAs of Thackeray group may be disqualified, says Maha Assembly speaker

In an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat, Narvekar said he has so far received twenty petitions regarding disqualification. “It will be decided soon. 15 MLAs of the Shiv Sena party may be disqualified,” said the newly elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday sought suspension of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs belonging to the Uddhav Thackeray's camp for “violation of whip” a day after winning the floor test in the assembly.

Mumbai: Newly elected speaker of the Maharashtra assembly, Rahul Narvekar has said that 15 Shiv Sena MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray faction may be disqualified two days after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde sought their suspension. In an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat, Narvekar said he has so far received twenty petitions regarding disqualification.

“It will be decided soon. 15 MLAs of the Shiv Sena party may be disqualified,” said the newly elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday sought suspension of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs belonging to the Uddhav Thackeray's camp for “violation of whip” a day after winning the floor test in the assembly.

Bharat Gogavale, the spokesperson of the Shinde group, lodged a complaint with the Speaker of the Assembly Rahul Narvekar seeking action against 16 MLAs from the Thackeray faction for breaking the whip. The development came after the Shinde faction issued a counter whip to the Sena MLAs to vote for BJP speaker candidate Rahul Narvekar.

Shiv Sena representative of the Uddhav faction, Sunil Prabhu had issued a whip to its MLAs, including the rebel leaders and Eknath Shinde, to vote for MVA's speaker candidate Rajan Salvi. However, the Shinde group did not follow the Shiv Sena's whip and voted for BJP candidate Narvekar. Narvekar won with 164 votes defeating Rajavan Salvi of Maha Vikas Aghadi, who secured 107 votes.

On Monday, Prabhu approached the Supreme Court challenging speaker Narvekar's decision to recognize the appointment of CM Eknath Shinde loyalist Bharat Gogawale as the new chief whip of the Shiv Sena. “A decision will be taken after examining all the technical issues. Now that the Speaker of the Assembly has been elected, the decision on disqualification of MLAs can be taken by the Speaker,” Narvekar told ETV Bharat.

He further stated that the Eknath Shinde government “will definitely complete its tenure and last for two and a half years”. Over his election to the post and whether he will have to work under pressure, Narvekar said, “There is no pressure from seniors. There will be many veteran MLAs from various parties in the state in the Assembly.

There is no question of me being pressured. I want to work in my assigned authority. I will work in the jurisdiction of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. I will try to treat all members equally,” he said. Over a question whether Maharashtra governor' decision against holding fresh elections was biased, Narvekar said, "I don't think so.

Governors have their constitutional rights. They know exactly when to hold an election. In the past, there was no consensus in the Mahavikas Aghadi government. Therefore, he did not give a date for holding the election. However, now that the new government has been formed, the governor may have felt compelled to hold the speaker election.

There is nothing wrong with that”. Over the Shinde faction's possible merger with any party in near future, Narvekar replied in the negative. “The Shinde faction has a two-thirds majority. He has said that he is still in the party. He is in Shiv Sena. So, I don't think they need to merge with any other party.