Uddhav Thackeray yet to resign as MLC, draws flak from Maharashtra Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis

With Uddhav Thackeray yet to formally resign from the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Devendra Fadnavis took a swipe at the Shiv Sena president on Tuesday. While stepping down as the CM on June 29, Thackeray declared in a televised address that he will be resigning as an MLC too, Addressing a press council on the eve of the Monsoon session of the state Legislature, the Maharashtra Deputy CM quipped that this announcement might be as shallow as his assertion that BJP had promised to give the Chief Minister's post to Shiv Sena for two and a half years. 

Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "That announcement is similar to the announcement made in the closed room which he remembers. He repeatedly remembers that they were promised (the CM post by rotation) for two and a half years. This must be a similar type of announcement."

The lack of clarity over Thackeray's resignation assumes significance amid the unhappiness of Congress and NCP over Shiv Sena bagging the Leader of Opposition post in the Legislative Council. On the recommendation of Thackeray, Sena MLC Ambadas Danve was recognized as the LoP with effect from August 9. As Shiv Sena currently has just one more seat than Congress, Thackeray's membership of the House might be of vital importance to the party's claim over the LoP post. At present, Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP have 12, 11 and 10 seats each in the Legislative Council. 

Hurdles in Uddhav Thackeray's election as MLC

Uddhav Thackeray was not a member of either the Legislative Assembly or the Legislative Council despite being sworn in as the Maharashtra CM on November 28, 2019. As per Article 164(4) of the Constitution, a non-legislator ceases to be a minister if he is not elected to either House of the legislature within a period of 6 months. Thackeray was set to be fielded as a candidate for one of the 9 MLC seats falling vacant on April 24, 2020. However, the Election Commission of India indefinitely postponed the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council polls in the current period owing to the COVID-19 crisis.

Thus, the only option for Thackeray was to enter the Legislative Council as a nominated member. Despite the Maharashtra Cabinet recommending his nomination as an MLC twice, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari refused to follow suit. Following this, the Shiv Sena chief reportedly had a telephonic conversation with PM Modi regarding this issue on April 29, 2020. A day later, the Governor wrote to the EC requesting the election for the 9 MLC seats to be held soon. On May 1, 2020, the EC agreed to this request. Finally, he was elected unopposed to the Legislative Council on May 14, 2020.