Devendra Fadnavis, former Chief Minister and presently Leader of Opposition (Assembly), said that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government in Maharashtra should file a review petition in the Supreme Court with a prayer to raise the 50 per cent ceiling on reservation.

 

Interacting with mediapersons on Friday at Nagpur airport, Fadnavis flayed MVA Government led by Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Minister, for passing the buck to the Centre on the issue of Maratha quota. “If everything is to be done by the Central Government, what is left for the State Government to do?” he quipped.

 

Fadnavis congratulated Central Government for moving the Supreme Court seeking review of May 5 verdict, which held that the 102nd Constitutional amendment took away the power of State Governments to declare socially and educationally backward classes for reservation in jobs and academic admissions. It has been the Centre’s stand since long that these powers should be vested in State Governments.

 

However, Fadnavis said, the MVA Government in Maharashtra is yet to file a review petition in the Supreme Court to raise the 50 per cent ceiling on reservation. Asked about the statement of Ashok Chavan, Public Works Minister and senior Congress leader, Fadnavis said that he (Chavan) knew everything but was still playing politics over the issue. Referring to the MVA leaders meeting the Governor over Maratha quota issue, Fadnavis said that they knew very well that the Governor could do nothing in this regard as it was not within his powers. “Still, MVA leaders are meeting the Governor. It is all nothing but a ‘nautanki’ and timepass,” he alleged.