NCP(SP) wanted Ajit party backing in RS poll
After the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) initially dithered on backing the candidature of 85-year-old Sharad Pawar for the Rajya Sabha elections, a desperate NCP(SP) had reached out to Ajit Pawar’s party for support. It had given a proposal that if the NCP (Ajit) accepted Sharad Pawar’s candidature for Rajya Sabha polls, it could open the door for the merger of both the NCP factions. But Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar and NCP (Ajit) leaders had informed the NCP(SP) that as they had already declared Parth Pawar’s name for Rajya Sabha polls, they could not backtrack at the last moment to support Sharad Pawar’s candidature for Rajya Sabha polls.
Passes curbed to cut visitors’ flow to House
During the Maharashtra assembly sessions, thousands of visitors pour into the Vidhan Bhavan premises in Mumbai, choking the entrance and narrow passages. Vidhan Bhavan turns into a tourist and reel-making spot for visitors. But during this budget session, the visitors’ flow to the Vidhan Bhavan was streamlined.
Entry was regulated with multiple checks. MLAs and MLCs were allowed to issue only three passes each in a day. This time, no blanket passes are distributed. If anyone wants to get a pass, they have to stand in line and go through the meticulous scrutiny process that helped in cutting down the number of visitors to the House.
English version of Raut’s jail book is to be out soon
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has spent more than 100 days in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail in 2022 in connection with the Patra Chawl redevelopment case. During his days in the jail, Raut penned a 240-page book, ‘Narkatala Swarg’, in Marathi. Now, with an updated version, Raut’s book in English, titled ‘Unlikely Paradise’, is scheduled to be released on March 23 in Delhi. Raut, the editor of Marathi daily and Sena mouthpiece ‘Samaana’, is known for his fiery speeches and editorials. Several controversial claims in the book on top political leaders sparked an uproar. Criticising Raut, the BJP-led alliance had advised him to stick to the facts.
Sudhir Suryawanshi
Our correspondent in Maharashtra
suryawanshi.sudhir@gmail.com