Nana Patole takes a dig at Guv over nomination of 12 MLCS
MUMBAI: Newly appointed Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole alleged that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was not giving his nod to the 12 nominations to Legislative Council because of the pressure from the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He said that it was possible for him as the Assembly speaker to stall the appointment of BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar as head of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC), but his party did not resort to vendetta politics.
Patole on Thursday visited various religious places of all faiths including Chaityabhoomi, Siddhivinayak temple, a church and a masjid in Mahim, a day ahead of assuming charge as the party chief. He will take over the charge at August Kranti Maidan on Friday.
While addressing a press conference on Thursday, Patole said the Governor, who is the Constitutional head of the state, should clear the proposal of the appointment of 12 members to the Council at the earliest. “He should not bow under the pressure (from Delhi) and nominate 12 members to the Upper house,” he said. “Had I acted vindictively like the Governor has been doing, appointment of BJP legislator Mungantiwar on parliamentary committee BAC would have been stalled. But we did not do so,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Congress has launched social media cell to give befitting reply to BJP’S ‘vicious and divisive propaganda’. Patole said, “The BJP is a massive factory which produces lies that disturb the social fabric of the country. The Congress, through its 200,000 workers on social media sites, will give befitting reply to them.”
Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the nomination of the MLCS was the prerogative of the Governor. “He is acting within his constitutional framework. He is the constitutional head of the state. The ruling party leaders should introspect about the language they use for Governor,” he said.