Mumbai: The NCP (SP) is upset over the appointment of Congress MLA Vijay Waddettiwar on Thursday as chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), a powerful committee of the state legislature.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said that the discussion (in the MVA) was that the Shiv Sena (UBT) would get the leader of opposition’s (LoP) post in the legislative assembly, the Congress would get the LoP’s post in the legislative council and the NCP (SP) would get the PAC chairperson’s post. “But when the appointments were announced, Congress got the PAC chairperson’s post. Now netas will make a decision. But when we are together in opposition and fight the elections together, things must happen after consultation and discussion,” he said.
Rohit, who is a second-time MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed, was eyeing the PAC chairperson’s post, NCP (SP) functionaries said.
There are over two dozen legislative committees, including the all-important PAC. Under the previous Mahayuti govt, there was no PAC in the state for 2.5 years. It is considered a powerful committee as it is a joint committee of members of the legislative assembly and legislative council. The state’s previous PAC was headed by the BJP’s Sudhir Mungantiwar since the BJP was the principal opposition party until June 2022. The PAC is headed by an MLA from the opposition parties as per convention.
The Estimates Committee will be headed by Sena MLA Arjun Khotkar, the Public Undertakings Committee by BJP MLA Rahul Kool, the Panchayat Raj Committee by BJP Santosh Danve, and the Employment Guarantee Scheme Committee by MLA Sunil Shelke, among others.