Uddhav Thackeray: Speaker must decide on disqualification of 16 MLAs soon

Uddhav Thackeray, the chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), on Friday (May 12) asked Maharashtra's Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to take a decision on the disqualification of 16 MLAs as soon as possible.

Thackeray said, "The gift of life to the 16 MLAs is temporary because the Supreme Court has given a reasonable time' and it has limitations. The Speaker must take his decision at the earliest."

Thackeray's comments came a day after the Supreme Court gave its verdict on last year's political crisis that resulted in the collapse of the three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by him.

The conflict began when after a rebellion by Eknath Shinde, who later became the chief minister of the state post joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

News agencies reported that Thackeray's party colleague Anil Parab said they will urge Speaker Nawerkar to take a call on the matter at the earliest.

Thackeray referred to the same judgement to say that actions of the governor, like calling upon him for a floor test, were illegal as the SC's verdict mentioned that he could have been reinstated as chief minister had he not resigned.

"This means the existing government is illegal. I am satisfied with my decision because I resigned out of morality," Thackeray said.

As a warning to the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janta Party, he also asked them to face elections in the "final court" — the people of the state.

Meanwhile, Parab said, "We have been saying that this government is illegal. The important role is of the whip. The whip of that time was Sunil Prabhu (MLA from the Thackeray camp) and it was violated which has been well established. The Speaker should not take much time to decide on it."

"There is no escape for the rebel MLAs and there is little time left for them," Parab added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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