MUMBAI: Maharashtra's ruling allies sparred over election for the Satara Zilla Parishad (ZP) president as the row reached the state council where deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe on Monday asked the government to suspend the district SP over ruckus and manhandling during the poll.
In the assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, termed the alleged police action against some elected Satara ZP members last week as a "murder of democracy", accusing authorities of misusing power to influence the poll outcome in the western Maharashtra district.
Responding to the issue in the assembly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a proper inquiry would be conducted (in alleged police action) and appropriate action taken based on its findings.
Ministers Shamburaj Desai (Shiv Sena) and Makarand Patil (NCP) besides other members of the two parties demanded the suspension of Satara SP Tushar Doshi. Desai and Patil alleged the local police manhandled them during the poll held on Friday to elect the ZP president.
BJP's Priya Shinde was elected the Satara ZP president, trumping the Shiv Sena-NCP combine's candidate despite the latter having a majority in the rural local body. The BJP narrowly surpassed the Sena-NCP alliance's tally to win the top post.
The BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena are constituents of the ruling Mahayuti coalition.
As the council convened for a special sitting to take up the pending business before the actual commencement of proceedings, Shiv Sena member Hemant Patil raised the issue, saying Desai, Makarand Patil and NCP (SP) MLC Shashikant Shinde (who were present during ZP president poll) were manhandled by police.
He was joined by NCP's Hemant Kale and ministers Desai, Makarand Patil. Shiv Sena's Manisha Kayande also demanded the suspension of the district collector.
Gorhe then said, "I am directing the government to suspend the Satara SP and others who manhandled (voters and ministers)." She said the government should have initiated a probe into the matter, but that has not happened due to some reasons.
This did not go down well with the BJP, which heads the Mahayuti government.
BJP minister Jaikumar Gore said the Chair should have gathered information based on facts.
Later, during the regular sitting BJP MLC Pravin Darekar said there is a precedent where an IAS officer suspended by the Chair of the lower house during the ongoing session had to be reinstated.
Darekar sought to know whether the Chair can suspend an IAS officer. A ruling needs to be given and if anyone other than the Chairperson gives such a ruling, then it has to be implemented.
The power to suspend any IAS/IPS officer is with the CM. This (ruling by council deputy chairperson) will set a wrong precedent, Darekar argued.
Council chairperson Ram Shinde said he will give a ruling on the issue at the earliest.
NCP (SP)'s Shashikant Shinde said challenging the Chair's decision was wrong. If there is no action against IAS/IPS officers it will give them unbridled power. There should be a fear of the legislature, he insisted.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab claimed Gorhe misused her power.
The development exposed fissures in the ruling alliance.
Acknowledging discord in the alliance, Sena minister Desai said in the council there have been bitter experiences like the one in Satara.
Talking to reporters in Vidhan Bhavan complex, Desai alleged the BJP exerted political pressure during the Satara ZP president election, leading to irregularities in the voting process.
"Democracy was murdered" during the election process and the district's reputation was tarnished, charged Desai, who is the guardian minister of Satara.
The Shiv Sena would initiate legal action against members who violated the whip, he warned.
Deputy CM Shinde backed Desai.
In the assembly, Shinde said "Depriving an elected representative from casting his or her vote is nothing but a murder of democracy. It is a serious crime. I told the SP not to take any anti-democratic steps, but the police treated elected representatives like criminals and removed them from the Satara ZP premises."
The deputy CM said he instructed the police that no elected member should be prevented from exercising their franchise.
Shinde added that he escalated the matter to Director General of Police Sadanand Date, expressing concern that there could be misuse of power as the Sena-NCP alliance held a narrow majority by two votes in the Satara ZP.
According to him, despite assurances from senior police officials, the local police went ahead with their action and some ZP members were taken away before voting.
Shinde said he again contacted senior officials and questioned the timing of the action.
Such an incident was unprecedented in Maharashtra's political history, the Shiv Sena chief said, and alleged the move appeared aimed at altering the electoral outcome.
Taking a dig at Desai, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Parab challenged the Shiv Sena to quit the Mahayuti government over the issue.
"Ministers are getting beaten up, but they (Sena and NCP) are scared to name the BJP. The police are beating you up, and you are staying mum. Where is your self-respect and rebellious streak?" Parab asked.
Even an NCP (minister) was beaten up, the MLC said, taking a dig at the BJP allies.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said the incident has shown the Eknath Shinde-led party its place in the government.
Those in the Shinde group are a bunch of "cowards", who go quiet when they are shown files, Thackeray told reporters in Vidhan Bhavan premises.