Oppn to use every weapon to fire salvo at Govt Winter Session to begin on Monday

Vidhan Bhavan all ready to welcome members for the Winter Session from Monday. (Pic by Satish Raut)

Principal Correspondent :

The warning by Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra State Assembly that they would use all weapons if discussions on the issues are not allowed on the floor of the House, is a clear message that Uddhav-led Government is likely to face the salvo. Keeping the tradition alive Fadnavis-led opposition party has boycotted the tea-party hosted by ruling Maha Vikas Aaghadi. The Winter Session of Maharashtra State Legislature is beginning on Monday.

This is the first session in the sense, it will have triparty Government, Uddhav Thackeray is the first from his family to become Chief Minister. This session will not have Question Hour. The session is being held sans ministers except a few. Opposition has so many issues on which it can isolate the Government with the Chief Minister is new to the House and vice-versa. Since dozens of portfolios are allocated to one minister and only six persons are handling those, they will find it difficult while speaking on the issues. Of course, the Opposition too will find it difficult to raise the issues as Fadnavis rightly pointed out in his press conference as to whom would they ask? Maha Vikas Aaghadi too can make Opposition get quiet by reminding them that they were in power and only they would be able to answer it in a better way.

For Uddhav Thackeray facing the House affairs may be new, there are stalwarts like Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dr Nitin Raut, Dilip Walse-Patil who would come to his rescue. In his press conference also Uddhav Thackeray looked confident and ready to face any attack. The move of holding the session is quite unusual but it seems Government wants to fast track the official work during the Winter Session which is going to be of one week. During the session, probably on Wednesday, December 18, the House will pass the resolution of congratulation to Justice Sharad Bobde on his elevation as Chief Justice of India.

Armed with the public sentiment, the Government is keen to encash the wave and set its own agenda for the Winter Session. A see-saw battle is seen during the Winter Session between Opposition trying to dominate the proceedings and Government trying to push its business and gain an upper hand. Discussion on the speech of Governor is on cards will last for two days. As per the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) mandate, the Winter Session of State Legislature will end on December 21. A salient point during the Winter Session is morchas taken out by various organisation to build pressure on State Government for its demands. Considering the short duration of Winter Session there is less enthusiasm among the organisations which have been holding morchas for the last so many years.