Maharashtra Assembly Special Session: 173 MLAs Take Oath Amid MVA Boycott | Mumbai News – Times of India
Mumbai: The three-day special session of the newly constituted 288-member legislative assembly began on Saturday on a stormy note with MVA MLAs walking out after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde took oath.
A total of 173 newly elected MLAs took oath on Saturday. The pro-tem speaker, BJP’s nine-time MLA Kalidas Kolambkar, administered the oath to the new MLAs.
Meanwhile, MVA legislators‘ contention was that there was large-scale manipulation in EVMs, following which the BJP-led Mahayuti secured an absolute majority in the house of 288. The remaining 155 MLAs will take oath on Sunday. MVA MLAs too are expected to take oath on Sunday.
Significantly, two MVA members, SP’s Abu Asim Azmi and Rais Shaikh, defied the boycott call and took oath.
Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said the MVA legislators boycotted the oath-taking ceremony as democracy is being murdered using EVMs. “This is not the mandate of the public, it is the mandate of EVMs and the Election Commission of India,” Thackeray said. He said Markadwadi village had planned a mock poll by means of paper ballot, only to assure themselves about the voting pattern. “The administration imposed a curfew against fighting for democracy. Even though not much would have changed in terms of govt formation officially, truth would have come to light… Let mock polls happen across Maharashtra, on ballot papers,” he said.
NCP president and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar rejected the MVA’s EVM manipulation charge, saying they accepted the Lok Sabha results when it was convenient to them. “If they have a grudge against the use of EVMs, they should approach Supreme Court or ECI,” he said.
MPCC president Nana Patole said MVA boycotted the ceremony as a mark of protest for “stealing” the govt. “Even though BJP formed the govt after the assembly elections, the public sentiment is that this govt does not reflect their votes… Respecting the sentiments of the people of Markadwadi, we decided not to take the oath today,” Patole said. He said MVA netas will soon meet Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar to decide the course of action. Former leader of opposition, Congress’s Vijay Wadettiwar said the results have raised doubts over the entire election process.
A total of 173 newly elected MLAs took oath on Saturday. The pro-tem speaker, BJP’s nine-time MLA Kalidas Kolambkar, administered the oath to the new MLAs.
Meanwhile, MVA legislators‘ contention was that there was large-scale manipulation in EVMs, following which the BJP-led Mahayuti secured an absolute majority in the house of 288. The remaining 155 MLAs will take oath on Sunday. MVA MLAs too are expected to take oath on Sunday.
Significantly, two MVA members, SP’s Abu Asim Azmi and Rais Shaikh, defied the boycott call and took oath.
Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said the MVA legislators boycotted the oath-taking ceremony as democracy is being murdered using EVMs. “This is not the mandate of the public, it is the mandate of EVMs and the Election Commission of India,” Thackeray said. He said Markadwadi village had planned a mock poll by means of paper ballot, only to assure themselves about the voting pattern. “The administration imposed a curfew against fighting for democracy. Even though not much would have changed in terms of govt formation officially, truth would have come to light… Let mock polls happen across Maharashtra, on ballot papers,” he said.
NCP president and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar rejected the MVA’s EVM manipulation charge, saying they accepted the Lok Sabha results when it was convenient to them. “If they have a grudge against the use of EVMs, they should approach Supreme Court or ECI,” he said.
MPCC president Nana Patole said MVA boycotted the ceremony as a mark of protest for “stealing” the govt. “Even though BJP formed the govt after the assembly elections, the public sentiment is that this govt does not reflect their votes… Respecting the sentiments of the people of Markadwadi, we decided not to take the oath today,” Patole said. He said MVA netas will soon meet Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar to decide the course of action. Former leader of opposition, Congress’s Vijay Wadettiwar said the results have raised doubts over the entire election process.
