Mumbai: Adopting an aggressive stance, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday demanded that the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narwekar must take a decision quickly on the disqualification of 16 MLAs as directed by the Supreme Court last week.
A high-level Sena (UBT) delegation called on Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal and submitted a memorandum with the demand, said the party’s Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu.
“Since the Speaker (Narwekar) is touring out of station, we met the Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal and handed over our memorandum on this issue. We have reiterated that the Speaker must take his decision in the matter at the earliest possible,” Prabhu said.
In its verdict, the SC last week had put the question of the 16 MLAs — including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde — in the Maharashtra Speaker’s domain, and to take the decision in a reasonable time.
The delegation comprised Sena (UBT) MLAs and MLCs — Sunil Prabhu, Ramesh Korgaonkar, Sunil Raut, Anil Parab, Dr, Manisha Kayande, Sachin Aher, Vilas Potnis, Sunil Shinde and Rutuja Latke.
Prabhu said that the delegation submitted a copy of the apex court judgement and the Sena (UBT)’s letter on their main demand and expressed hope that the Speaker would act on it appropriately without delays.
Several leaders of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Sena (UBT) — including Nana Patole, Jayant Patil and Sanjay Raut — have demanded that since the SC ruling has come, the Speaker should take a decision on priority.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has flayed the Opposition for indulging in ‘pressure tactics’ on the Speaker in the matter, and said “the Speaker will not succumb to such pressures and take his decision as per the Constitution”.
(IANS)
