Politics

Thackeray-Shinde feud set to find echo in Budget session of Maha legislature; Oppn likely to corner govt over public interest issues

Published

3 weeks ago

February 27, 2023

The ongoing high decibel political and legal battle between rival Shiv Sena groups is set to resonate in the Maharashtra legislature as its Budget session begins on Monday.The Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Congress boycotted the tea party hosted by the government on the eve of the Budget session on Sunday.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took a dig at the Opposition for boycotting the customary tea party and said it was good those having ties with terrorist Dawood Ibrahim did not turn up for it.

He was apparently referring to former state minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik, who is currently in jail following his arrest last year in a money-laundering case linked to the activities of Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.
The budget session will commence with newly-appointed Governor Ramesh Bais making his first address to the joint sitting of the state legislature.Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the finance and planning portfolio, will present the first Budget of the Shinde-led government in the Assembly on March 9.

The session will end on March 25.The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), will seek to corner the Shinde-BJP government over issues of public interest during the nearly one-month long session which is set to be stormy.

The Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde, buoyed by an Election Commission (EC) ruling in its favour, and the Uddhav Thackeray faction are locked in a bitter feud to lay claim over the 56-year-old party and legacy of its founder Bal Thackeray.

Going by the legislative majority, the EC recently allotted the Shiv Sena name and the ‘bow and arrow’ poll symbol to the Shinde group while recognising the split in the party, which was rocked by a rebellion in June last year.

Moving swiftly after the EC ruling, the Shinde camp petitioned Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar and took control of the Shiv Sena legislature party office in the Vidhan Bhavan complex in south Mumbai. Similarly, the Shinde camp feels the whip it issues will be binding on legislators still loyal to Thackeray.

Amid the Shiv Sena row, 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 PTI 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.

However, senior advocate and former Maharashtra Advocate General Shrihari Aney feels since the EC has recognised the split in the Shiv Sena, the Shinde camp’s whip will not be applicable to pro-Thackeray MLAs.

The Thackeray faction will have to seek recognition as a separate group in the legislature, he said.

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Politics

As part of Rahul Gandhi’s trials, Kanhaiya may get bigger role in Congress

Published

3 hours ago

March 21, 2023

ironity

The Congress leadership is testing waters to appoint CPI functionary-turned-Congressman Kanhaiya Kumar in a leadership slot, with the presidentship of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) or the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) being weighed as options, according to people aware of the development.The move has triggered disquiet among sections of the DPCC and IYC leaders who consider Kumar a “political and ideological outsider”, they said.

Kumar, a former JNU students union leader, joined the Congress in 2021 by reaching out to Rahul Gandhi. While many Congress leaders of his home state Bihar were known to have resisted any active role being given to him.

With attempts to revive the Delhi PCC coming to naught, a section of Congress leadership is now known to be arguing that Kumar can be the “panacea” for Delhi Congress even as they cite how another “experiment”, of bringing Dikshit “from UP to Delhi Congress leadership” had succeeded. Similarly, IYC leadership is also being cited as a potential slot for Kumar, 36, by arguing that Srinivas BV, 42, will be soon completing four years in IYC leadership.

But many among the Delhi Congress and IYC brass are not enthused about the move. “Kumar is far too new in the Congress to be considered to head a PCC. And those arguing Sheila (Dikshit) ji too was an outsider in Delhi Congress are being dishonest because she had been a Congress leader right from the beginning,” said a Delhi Congress functionary, who did not wish to be identified. The mood is similar in IYC, especially as most IYC leaders have been fighting against the Leftists and saffron outfits.

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Politics

UP BJP lines up plans to woo OBCs amid SP’s caste play

Published

3 hours ago

March 21, 2023

ironity

The BJP OBC (other backward classes) wing in Uttar Pradesh has lined up a string of campaigns over March and April to reach out to the other backward classes in the state which will set the tone for offsetting the Samajwadi Party‘s apparent efforts to centre the 2024 Lok Sabha election around caste census and politics of social justice. The BJP UP OBC morcha held its state executive meet in Kanpur on Sunday which was also attended by deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

The head of the morcha, Narendra Kashyap, said following the training of workers till March 30 to create awareness among them regarding achievements of the central government and ideology of the BJP, a statewide ‘Gaon Chalo, Ghar Chalo’ campaign will be kicked off wherein the workers will fan out in 15,000 villages of the 80 Lok Sabha seats and intimate people of the community about the government and party” achievements in furthering their welfare.

“Through this campaign we will also expose the Samajwadi Party’s demands about caste census and tell people that they forgot about it when they were in power themselves and remain focused then on benefitting their own family,” said Kashyap, who is also the state minister for backward classes welfare.

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Politics

Meghalaya: Voice of the People’s Party stages walkout in protest of Governor’s Hindi speech

Published

6 hours ago

March 20, 2023

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The Voice of the People’s Party (VPP) staged a walk out of Meghalaya Assembly in protest against the Governor Phagu Chauhan for delivering his address in Hindi.The Governor on the first day of the Budget Session delivered his speech in Hindi.

VPP legislator from Nongkrem, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said that Meghalaya is not a Hindi speaking state and Hindi cannot be imposed by the Government of India on the people of the State. “This is against the sentiment of the people of the state.”

Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma however said that such behaviour is not accepted from an elected MLA and written English speech is already circulated in the house.Assembly Speaker, Thomas A Sangma said that he would allow the Governor to address the House in Hindi as written speech in English was circulated among all the members.

Health Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh said, “It is important to consistently pursue with the Government of India that the indigenous people of the state are a non-Hindi speaking community. It is important to understand the inability of Meghalaya to speak and communicate in Hindi”.

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