MUMBAI: The conflict between Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Maha Vikas Aghadi is likely to escalate over the appointment of 12 persons as Members of the Legislative Council (MLC) through the governor’s quota.
The alliance has decided to explore legal options against the governor for not approving the 12 names recommended by the Cabinet.
The Cabinet had forwarded the 12 names in the first week of November last year.
“It has been more than three months and still the governor has neither approved nor rejected these names. The governor cannot sit on the recommendation file for an indefinite period. He should not work as an agent of any particular party if he has assumed the constitutional office. This will set a wrong precedent for the future governor. This is nothing but a murder of democracy,” Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said.
Raut added that if the governor is not following constitutional norms, then the Centre should recall him.
“Maha Vikas Aghadi is also exploring legal options against the governor for this anti-constitutional act. The governor cannot sit on the file submitted by the cabinet. He has to approve it as it is. But here nothing is happening and politics is being done over these 12 appointments.”
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said he plans to meet the governor.
“I have been in government and politics for the last several years but never seen such kind of delay by the governor. There is some convention to be followed. But the governor cannot sit on the Cabinet-approved proposal for a long time.”
The 12 whose names have been recommended are also getting impatient.
“Our party recommended the names, but the governor has stuck the decision. Our dream of becoming an MLC has also got stuck,” one of them said.