From Prime Minister to MLC: How Uddhav Retained His Post in Maharashtra

Uddhav Thackeray after being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in Shivaji Park on November 28, 2019. (Express photo: Pradip Das)

Almost six months after becoming Chief Minister on November 28, Uddhav Thackeray finally became a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. This ensures that your primary ministerial position remains intact. He was elected without opposition to the Council on Thursday (May 14) as only nine nominations were received for the nine vacant seats on the Council.

Already under pressure due to increasing Covid-19 cases and deaths in Maharashtra, the unopposed election would have been a relief to Thackeray.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government, which comprises its Shiv Sena, the PNC and Congress, has survived a possible political crisis.

Although he was eventually elected without opposition, Thackeray had faced some tense moments in his efforts to enter the legislature, and at one point even offered to resign as Chief Minister. The state seemed to be facing a constitutional crisis.

Thackeray’s main ministry had come at the cost of Sena’s long alliance with the BJP. The bitter separation came after the BJP insisted on the CM post, and Thackeray was finally pushed to embrace the unlikely NCP allies and Congress.

According to Article 164 (4) of the Constitution, “a Minister who for a period of six consecutive months is not a member of the State Legislature, at the expiration of that period shall cease to be Minister”.

However, the Legislative Council elections for the nine vacant seats scheduled for March 26 were postponed due to the pandemic.

So on April 9, the state cabinet headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar recommended to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari that Uddhav be nominated for the Upper House. The governor, however, decided to ignore the recommendation.

“The governor is supposed to act on the advice of the Council of Ministers. The Cabinet decision is binding on him, ”said constitutional expert Ulhas Bapat.

With relentless Koshyari, the government repeated its recommendation on April 27.

“We have ensured that we comply with all the rules and regulations required for the Governor’s nomination of the Chief Minister to the State Legislative Council,” said Chief Deputy Minister Pawar. Maha Vikas Aghadi reiterated that the Governor’s nomination for Thackeray to the Upper House was within the framework of the Constitution.

But the governor declined to react. Meanwhile, state BJP leaders increased their visits to Raj Bhavan, and Sena spokesman “Saamna” condemned in strong language “some people’s” attempts to force a constitutional crisis in the state.

Thackeray finally chose escalate the matter to Narendra Modi. On April 29, he called the Prime Minister and asked him to intervene.

“Uddhav Thackeray urged the Prime Minister to intervene … Thackeray said he was ready to resign if the situation persisted. The Prime Minister said:‘main dekhta hun… “Deputy Shiv Sena Sanjay Raut told this newspaper.

Other Sena leaders said Thackeray had told the Prime Minister that attempts were being made to create political instability in Maharashtra at a time when the state was fighting the pandemic with its back to the wall.

Shortly after the phone call to Modi, Governor Koshyari wrote to the Electoral Commission requesting that elections be held in the nine seats on the Council “at the earliest.”

📣 Express explained Now it’s in Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@ieexplained) and stay updated with the latest news.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi had six candidates for the nine seats, including two in Congress, and the BJP had four, and the additional candidate meant that the vote had to be done.

To avoid a vote amid the Covid crisis, an emergency meeting was held between the top leaders of Congress, the PCN and Sena. Congress withdrew one of its candidates, and the way was finally cleared for Uddhav Thackeray’s entry into the Council.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For the latest news explained, download the Indian Express app.

© The Indian Express (P) Ltd