Govt. can’t function in Uddhav’s continued absence, says Patil

‘Administration in a shambles; no Speaker chosen in 10 months’

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil. File photo

The Maharashtra Government cannot keep functioning in the face of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s continuing absence, said BJP State president Chandrakant Patil while expressing dissatisfaction over no appointment of Speaker in the Assembly in 10 months.

Mr. Thackeray, who has been recuperating following a cervical spine surgery, has been conducting business of the State virtually. The Chief Minister’s indisposition has sparked speculation of a possible change in the State’s leadership.

‘No way to function’

While refusing to directly comment on this, Mr. Patil said this was not the way in which the State Government ought to function.

“While I pray for Mr. Thackeray’s speedy recovery, a State cannot be run in this fashion… He has not handed over his post to anyone else and the CM’s work has been stalled for the last 19 days. The Assembly has not had a Speaker for the last 10 months. That is not how the Government works,” said the BJP State chief.

Stating that if a Chief Minister was unwell for even three days, the work ought to be handed over to a “caretaker”, Mr. Patil questioned why Mr. Thackeray was conducting the Cabinet virtually.

“Why has the upcoming winter session of the State Legislature been curtailed to just five days? As it is, we have not had too many sessions owing to the pandemic. Why is the session not being held in Nagpur [traditional place of the winter session] but in Mumbai? Who will sign important papers?” he asked.

Chastising the MVA government for its alleged failures in the last two years, Mr. Patil said the State administration had “completely collapsed”.