MNS Attracts Strong Reactions

While political analysts and media is engaged in bashing Maharashtra Navnirman Sena over the incident yesterday in assembly house, there is equally strong reactions from the public in favour of the party. Marathi blogs are replete with the praise for the MLAs who staked their position in the incident. Surprisingly, Ramesh Wanjale, MLA from Khadakwasla constituency was also involved in the manhandling of Abu Azmi. Surprisingly, because he was not a genuine MNS member, but has recently switched over to the party from Congress.

MNS MLAs on Monday attacked Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi inside the state assembly for taking oath in Hindi and not in Marathi marking a violent debut for Raj Thackeray's party in the House. The house acted tough and passed a resolution suspending four MNS members from the House for four years within hours after the chaos. The MLAs were also accused of misbehaving with a woman MLA.

The resolution moved by parliamentary affairs minister Harshvardhan Patil to suspend  Shishir Shinde, Ramesh Vanjale, Ram Kadam and Vasant Geete was approved by voice vote.

Chief minister Ashok Chavan also did not rule out action against MNS chief Raj Thackeray saying this will be taken if the video footage of his reported comments outside the Assembly showed he had instigated his party MLAs. On the other hand, people justify MLAs demands. The members have chosen a right target as Azmi has a very bad reputation in Maharashtra and nobody is willing to support him. One of my friend who works in a reputed IT company called me in night. He said he was receiving many mails pointing to the whole incident. So much as I have read yet, nothing was criticizing MNS. Even those who were not hailing Raj or MNS, only chose to remain silent because they are ready to consent through their silence.

Oath Taking Replaces Incertainty

After 15 days of lingering incertainty, there is a government finally an the state. The 38 members strong council of ministers tookl oath of the secrecy today. The Congress has 18 ministers and NCP 20. NCP ministers are expected to take oath on at once  and Congress ministers would be sworn in two phases.

Pune, including district has got only three ministers in the new cabinet while city will be represented by only one representative. Ramesh Bagve will be the only minister in cabinet. Bagave has been elected from Pune Cantonment constituency. He got 65638 votes to defeat his rival Sadanand Shetty of Shis Sena. Shetty managed to get 28313 votes. He had the biggest winning margin from all eight assembly segments in Pune.

Ajit Pawar and Harshvardhan Patil are other two minister related to the city. Dilip Walse Patil, who managed finance ministry in the last government has been axed this time.

A Government At Last

Ok. What is the ‘big deal’

Full 15 days after the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party returned to power in Maharashtra, the new government is finally to be instated. After a fortnight-long tough bargaining over portfolio-sharing between two parties, Congress and NCP finalised a deal based on the 1999 formula to form a new government.

Chief Minister-elect Ashok Chavan had indicated on Tuesday that the next government would be in place within two days. NCP leader Praful Patel told reporters in Mumbai that portfolio-sharing will be done on the basis of the 1999 formula. Although media reports indicated that the ministries would be shared in 23-20 ratio with larger chunk going to Congress.

Congress and NCP rode back to power for the third time in a row defeating opposition Shiv Sena-BJP in a mainly four-cornered contest. The Government formation was delayed after declaration of assembly poll results on October 23 due to hard negotiations between Congress and NCP over portfolio-sharing. Irked over the delay, governor S C Jamir had to intervene and urge both the parties to show a sense of urgency to put in place a government.

This is not the first time that this type of delay took place in Maharashtra. In 1999, when the two parties fought separately, there was dilly-dallying by two parties for over a week. In 2004, they fought together but after NCP emerged with more seats, it staken claim to the post of chief minister. Then also the issue was stretched for almost a week before Sharad Pawar finally wrested more and important portfolios from alliance partner Congress. The two parties could so easily take their time because they are sure that opposition parties are in no situation to stake claim to form the government. Meanwhile, various major issues are pending and the new government has an uphill task in the form of load shedding, drought situation and most of all, health situation. Maharashtra is getting some persons to man the ministries, but the million rupees question is: will they deliver?