Demand to appoint non-political dozen to the Legislative Council gains momentum in the state as Koshyari expected to go by rule book
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. File pic
With speculations rife that Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari will go by the rule book and not appoint political leaders to the 12 vacancies in the Legislative Council, aspirants from non-political circles are hoping to get the coveted membership to the upper house.
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Some aspirants and their sympathisers are inventing ways to lobby for Raj Bhavan-s approval, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA government is getting ready for another battle over constitutional issues in which the governor holds the upper hand.
Aspirants include a pioneer of the slum soccer movement whose life journey has been essayed in an upcoming film Jhund starring actor Amitabh Bachchan, journalists, writers, poets, social activists, etc. They have been creating public opinion through social media and have approached ruling parties and Raj Bhavan through formal applications. In the 78-member house, 12 members are appointed every six years by the governor on the Cabinet-s recommendation.
Among the names being suggested are Dr Vijay Barse, a football coach and Mahesh Keluskar, a poet right
Tricky matter
Generally, the recommendations are cleared but considering the relations between Raj Bhavan and MVA, the matter appears tricky. The aspirants- hopes are high also because, for several years, successive governments have flouted a Constitutional provision under Art 1715 of the Constitution, under which those with special qualifications and experience in literature, science, arts, cooperative fields and social service, etc. can be nominated as members of the legislative council. The nomination has to be done on the recommendations of the state government. Either active members of ruling parties or sympathisers were recommended for membership.
However, in the last six months, Koshyari turned down three recommendations for his quota, including CM Uddhav Thackeray-s name. When the matter escalated, a compromise of holding elections to the regular vacancies was worked out. In political circles, it is felt that Koshyari may not easily relent this time either and will demand recommendations that fit the Constitutional provision. The governor-government tussle hasn-t stopped yet. Recently, the two institutions disagreed over university exams. The governor wants exams to be held while the CM announced a waiver.
This is the chance
Well-known poet Mahesh Keluskar has started a social media campaign challenge12 to get -good- people appointed and has suggested 12 names. "Those who satisfy the Constitutional provision should be sent to the upper house. However, for many years, the memberships have been grabbed by political parties. I request you to seriously suggest appropriate names on your social media pages and handles. Who would you appoint if you were the governor?" wrote Keluskar in a Facebook post, which has received encouraging responses.
Keluskar-s wish-list includes Arjun Dangle and Veena Gawankar literature; Chinmayee Sumit and Sambhaji Bhagat performing arts; DR Bal Phondke and Mangla Naralikar science; Shobha Sawant and Popatrao Pawar cooperative; Dr Vishwambhar Choudhari and Uday Lad social service; Anjali Bhagwat and Harvardhan Sadgir both sports.
Another person lobbying hard for himself is senior journalist from Pune, Arun B Khore. The scribe has also suggested other names that surprisingly include Congress spokesperson and general secretary Sachin Sawant, BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari, RPI leader Avinash Mahatekar and Laxman Gaikwad, who had been an MLC from NCP.
"These spokespersons deserve a place in the house because they have been working for their parties against criticism," Khore said in a Facebook post. However, a political leader said no government would, in its wildest dreams, recommend a member of the opposition party BJP-s Bhandari.
Football coach from Nagpur, Dr Vijay Barse, finds himself suitable for the membership because of his work in the slum soccer movement. "My work of taking India-s slum children to the international slum soccer world speaks for itself," said Barse, who was nominated as a Nagpur civic corporator by Congress in 2012. He has applied to the Congress leadership and appealed to Raj Bhavan.
What-s cooking in the MVA?
The MVA is expected to recommend the 12 names soon. But before that, the three partners will have to fix their respective share which is expected to be four each. Several Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress leaders are eying the membership which doesn-t involve expensive elections. Sources said aspirants were at their wits- end and redoing bio-datas to fit the conditions of social work and cooperative fields.
As far as processing the Cabinet-s recommendation is concerned, the Raj Bhavan has asserted its authority in the past. The new appointments can also be delayed as there is no provision of urgency for the permanent house of the legislature, said a Congress leader.
Monsoon session deferred to August
The monsoon session of the state legislature will be held in Mumbai from August 3 instead of June 22. The decision comes after the legislative business advisory meeting on Wednesday. "We realised that sitting in the session from June 22 wasn-t possible because of the COVID situation," said CM Uddhav Thackeray. Sources said various options were considered before the meeting.
Officials were told to explore an online session and cut it short to reduce workload if held in Mumbai. However, it was decided that the business can wait till August, with the hope that the situation may ease.
Opposition leader in the Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis, said the BJP supports the government-s decision. "We are also ready if the government decides to hold a special day-long session to get supplementary demands approved," he said.
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