NAGPUR: The Maharashtra Assembly’s winter session opened on a confrontational note on Monday, with sharp exchanges between the opposition and treasury benches over the government’s decision to table supplementary demands and push through bills and ordinances despite the Model Code of Conduct being in force for local body polls.
Former MPCC chief Nana Patole led the charge, questioning what he called unusual urgency by the Mahayuti government. “This is being done even as the code of conduct is in place,” he said, arguing that the House could have met for a single-day sitting solely to clear supplementary demands. He also pressed for extending the Nagpur session to three weeks, citing the need to address Vidarbha’s long-pending issues.
Speaker Rahul Narwekar rejected the demand, noting that the Business Advisory Committee had already finalised the schedule. As he refused to allow further discussion, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar and Shiv Sena (UBT) member Bhaskar Jadhav rose in protest. Jadhav said he had flagged the same concern during BAC deliberations. “Sessions should be held as per the Nagpur Pact. You should allow senior members to air their views as the session is being held in Vidarbha,” he argued.
Narwekar reminded Patole that he had served as Speaker in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and was fully aware of BAC procedures. Patole responded that he had “always acted in the best interests of the House and not for the government” during his tenure. “Deputy chief ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde were with MVA when I was Speaker. We are not alleging anything against the Speaker, but want him to listen to our sentiments,” he said.
Chief minister
Devendra Fadnavis intervened, defending the decision to table major financial proposals on the opening day. He said Patole “should know that supplementary demands and important ordinances are being tabled on the first day of the session itself.” He added that a 25-year record of winter sessions would show the same trend.
Fadnavis acknowledged that the session was shorter than usual but said the State Election Commission had indicated it would soon enforce the code of conduct for the remaining local body elections. “We also want the session to be extended, but circumstances do not permit it. The longest sessions in Vidarbha were held whenever I was chief minister. We will compensate next year,” he said.
The opening day ended with both sides signalling that the days ahead are likely to be turbulent, with the opposition vowing to escalate its attacks on the government’s legislative priorities, as reported by TOI on Monday.
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