Rahul Narvekar cancels Ghana tour hours after Shiv Sena (UBT) files affidavit against Speaker for delaying hearing on disqualification petitions

Close on the heels of Shiv Sena (UBT) filing an affidavit against the Speaker's delaying tactics, the latter cancelled his visit to Ghana where he was supposed to attend the the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference from September 30 to October 6. An official of the Assembly claimed that the cancellation has nothing to do with the affidavit.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar has cancelled his trip to Ghana for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, beginning from today.

Speculations are rife that the move has been taken in view of Shiv Sena (UBT) filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court against the Speaker accusing him of delaying the hearing on disqualification petitions. Assembly sources, however, said that the cancellation has nothing to do with the disqualification petitions and it had been conveyed early this week.

Narvekar was supposed to attend the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference from September 30 to October 6 in Ghana. The conference is being organised by the Ghana Parliament and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association branch in Accra.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla along with a delegation of a few state Assembly speakers are set to attend the conference. Narvekar was also included in the team. The delegation is supposed to study the parliamentary democracies of other countries and exchange ideas at the conference.

Although no specific reason has been stated by Narvekar for putting off his trip, it is being said that the decision was taken following the Shiv Sena (UBT's) affidavit where the Thackeray faction alleged Narvekar of not focusing on disqualification petitions.

The party said that even after the apex court gave two weeks to Narvekar to come up with the schedule of hearing on petitions, he was delaying the process. Also, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had earlier criticised Narvekar for going to Ghana and delaying the hearings.

A senior official of the Assembly said the official announcement of the Speaker's Ghana tour was made earlier this week, much before the Shiv Sena (UBT) filed the affidavit. He said that the second hearing in the MLA disqualification case has already been held and the third hearing is listed on October 13.

"So, the decision to cancel the trip has nothing to do with the hearing. Even if Narvekar went to Ghana, the hearing would not have been delayed," he added.