Uddhav cabinet to discuss CM's MLC nomination as deadline nears; mulling EC & SC options

In the cabinet meeting of the Maharashtra government which is scheduled to take place at 11.30 am on Wednesday, the nomination of CM Uddhav Thackeray to the state Legislative Council will be discussed, sources said. 

Sources added that CM Uddhav has to be nominated as MLC before May 27 and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government's demand has been pending for more than 20 days.

Maha Vikas Aghadi to approach EC?

They also said if Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari doesn’t accept their demand, the cabinet is expected to approach the Election Commission asking for an election to the Legislative Council while keeping in mind all the social distancing norms. The sources stated moving the Supreme Court is also being mulled with the view to allow CM Uddhav Thackeray to continue as MLC as elections had to be postponed owing to Covid-19 pandemic.

Leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in Maharashtra, met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Tuesday to discuss and request him to consider the Cabinet proposal for the nomination of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in the state's Legislative Council.

Uddhav currently not a member of either of the House

The Maharashtra Cabinet had on Monday once again asked the Governor to nominate Thackeray to the state Legislative Council. This was the second recommendation sent by the Cabinet, which was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, as per an official release. Earlier on April 9, the state Cabinet had recommended Thackeray's name for one of the two vacant MLC seats that were to be nominated by Koshyari to the Legislative Council to avoid a constitutional crisis.

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Thackeray was sworn-in as the Maharashtra Chief Minister on November 28, last year. He is currently not a member of either of the House -- Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council. According to the Constitution, Thackeray has to be elected to either Assembly or Council within six months in order to continue in his post.

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With Koshyari yet to give his nod to appoint Thackeray to the Legislative Council, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut targeted the BJP central leadership for the delay. In his weekly column Rokhthok in Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Sunday, Raut expressed confidence that Thackeray will remain the Chief Minister after May 27.

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Thackeray had on Sunday said politics should be kept aside during the ongoing war against COVID-19. In his column, Raut said, "If the Governor decides to sign the nomination file, he can do so instantly. But he would have to ask the BJP leaders in Delhi."

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(With agency inputs)