BJP, pro-Vid activists flay govt over shifting winter session to Mumbai

Nagpur: The pro-Vidarbha activists and BJP leaders have flayed the Maharashtra cabinet’s decision to shift the winter assembly session from Nagpur to Mumbai, for the second year in a row.
On other hand, the Congress leaders are also upset, but are now demanding the budget or monsoon session to be held in Vidarbha to compensate for the loss. Last year, it was held in the state capital due to the threat of Covid-19 pandemic.
The decision was taken during Thursday’s cabinet meeting, primarily on account of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s health, as it would take about a couple of months for him to fully recuperate.The December 10 MLC elections for six seats was another reason provided along with the code of conduct in place.
“We have demanded to conduct a monsoon session here, which should be at least three weeks long. The questions and issues pertaining to Vidarbha region should be accorded top priority during the monsoon session,” guardian minister Nitin Raut said.
Slamming the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), MLA Krushna Khopde said the Thackeray government was apprehensive of conducting a session in Vidarbha anticipating that they would be cornered over local issues. “As per the Nagpur pact, it is mandatory to hold the session here, but the government is running away from their responsibilities. Even the Vidarbha ministers — Sunil Kedar, Vijay Wadettiwar and Raut had not uttered a single word during the cabinet meeting,” he said.
Congress state president Nana Patole said their party would demand to convene a month-long budget session in Vidarbha. “If the winter session could not be conducted on account of the CM’s health, at least a budget session should be held here, for discussions on region specific issues.”
Maha Vidarbha Janjagaran convenor Nitin Ronghe said the winter session was kept here as per the Nagpur Pact, but all the successive governments had never taken its conditions seriously. “I personally feel that deliberate attempts are being made by the governments to cancel this assembly session year after year and would be discontinued permanently in near future.”
Some Congress legislators like MLC Abhijit Wanjari were also upset over the cancellation of session. He had also sent a letter in the past to CM for conducting a month-long session in the region. “I am strongly in favour of having a session here where new legislators like us get a golden opportunity to raise issues pertaining to our constituencies. The Nagpur Pact has led to a tradition to convene a session here for the last six decades. I think at least a budget or monsoon session should be held here,” he said.