THE widespread air travel disruption due to IndiGo crisis also affected the State Winter Session on day 1 on Monday as many Members of Legislative Assembly and Council were compelled to take alternate options in the form of trains and buses to reach Nagpur to attend the session. Meanwhile, first day of theWinter Session of the State Legislature also wrapped up within an hour on Monday as many members failed to reach the second capital before start of the session. Several politicians faced delays due to a major crisis involving IndiGo flights, which led to multiple cancellations and last-minute rescheduling.

 

Despite the disruption, several top political leaders managed to arrive in their chartered aircraft, while many others are expected to reach the city by train and road over the next two days. The brief opening day saw limited legislative business conducted on the floor before both Houses were adjourned. In the Legislative Council, which lasted just for 40 minutes on Day 1, the session commenced with Vande Mataram song, witnessed tabling of six ordinances and concluded with condolence resolution of deceased members of both Houses. Maharashtra Gram Panchayat and Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti (Amendment) Bill, 2025 - Bill No 13 of 2025; and Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra Municipal Corporations and Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayat and Industrial Township (Amendment) Bill, 2025 - Bill No 14 of 2025 were also passed with the approval of the House on Monday Inthebeginning,RamShinde, Chairman of the Council, asked all Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) to sing the complete version ofVande Mataram to mark the 150th year celebration of ‘Vande Mataram’ song. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,DeputyChiefMinisters Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and members of both the ruling and Opposition parties were present in the House when the ‘VandeMataram’songwassung. Shinde also announced the ‘Panel Chairman’ names during the proceedings of the Upper House. Amit Gorkhe, Krupal Tumane, Amol Mitkari, Dhiraj Lingade and Sunil Shinde have been named asPanel Chairmen. Thereafter, Satej Patil, State Congress Leader and MLC, informed the House about the trouble faced by MLCs due to Indigo crisis.Patil informed that manyMLCsfromtheOpposition failed to come due to mass cancellation. Patil also urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to arrange a special flight for members stuck in Mumbai due to Indigo crisis. He also said that many MLCs are not capable like some members who arranged their charter flights to reach Nagpurforthesession.Therefore, the State Government should arrange special flight for them to attend the functioning of the House.

 

 

SHIVSena(UBT)leaderandMLAAadityaThackeray,onMonday, slammed the State Government for misusing public money by using chartered planes and helicopters amid this Indigo crisis and also during election.Thackeray made this statement inside the Vidhan Bhavan premises during the first day of Winter Session on Monday. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday made a statement that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray never used Indigo in his life and he mainly used chartered planes so how he will understand the pain of Indigo passengers. In reply, Aditya Thackeray said, “CM himself came to Nagpur in a chartered flight from Mumbai and he flew twice to Mumbai same day and brought some ministers in the same chartered flight. Even on Monday, some BJP leaders like Prasad Lad, Pravin Darekar, Chitra Wagh and others came to Nagpur in a chartered flight.” Thackeray also said that during recent elections, Fadnavis and two Deputy Chief Ministers all used commercial choppers to visit different villages with bags. But no one raised question over them about the requirement of these bags when they are travelling to the place just for 2-3 hours?” asked Thackeray