Turmoil over MLA’s demand to dissolve Council

Opposition, Sena criticise Anil Gote’s remarks in Assembly

Mumbai: The Legislative Assembly proceedings were thrown into a tizzy on Thursday morning after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Anil Gote demanded that the State Legislative Council be dissolved. His statement also came under criticism from members of the Upper House.

Speaking in the Assembly, Mr. Gote said the Council should be dissolved as it does not have any constitutional or political power. “People who get rejected in the State Assembly by voters, chose to come to the Upper House,” he said. Mr. Gote added that the Council exists only to please some people politically.

The demand made by the ruling party MLA attracted criticism from the Opposition in the Upper House, which forced Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil to assure the Council that it was the MLA’s individual opinion and government had no intention of this kind.

Oppn. seeks action

The Opposition, however, remained unsatisfied with the reply and called for action against the MLA. “This does not affect only the Opposition, but even the MLCs from the ruling party. He (Anil Gote) had made the statement on Wednesday as well, which was later removed from the proceedings. But despite the Council chairman’s instructions, he chose to make the statement yet again and challenged the authority of the chairman. This is a serious matter, in which action needs to be taken,” said Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde.

Mr Gote had made similar remarks on Wednesday, and the Assembly speaker had ordered them to be removed from the proceedings.

The BJP has been facing difficulties in running the Council, where it does not enjoy a majority. Mr. Gote’s statement is seen as the party’s attempt to demean the Upper House.

The Shiv Sena, too, condemned Mr. Gote’s remarks. “Is this a deliberate attempt to raise such questions, especially at a time when a number of political moves are likely to take place in coming months? Is this to divert the attention?” asked Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe. Nationalist Congress Party MLC Kiran Pawaskar asked whether Mr. Gote had been dictated to speak for someone else from the ruling party.

With the Opposition firm on its boycott of proceedings, deputy chairman Manikrao Thakre adjourned the House for the day. Speaker Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar had earlier announced that he would go give a ruling on Friday.