“Will Take Fair Decision, No Unjustified Delay”: Maharashtra Speaker On NCP Crisis
Rahul Narwekar said he will take a fair decision after going through everything soon.
Mumbai:
As the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party battle it out for claim over the party following recently-appointed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s rebellion, Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who is tasked with resolving the conflict, told NDTV he will take a fair decision after going through everything soon.
Mr Narwekar clarified that he doesn’t have any letter from any faction where they are saying they are a separate faction. Both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar have claimed the entire party is with them.
Several representations have reached his office, he said, adding that he will first have to see who is representing the political party and what they are asking. On how he will move ahead on disqualification requests from both camps as both have appointed their own whips, the Speaker said he will have to check if their requests match the party’s constitution.
“The Supreme Court has given a specific decision on whip. The whip is appointed based on the political party’s decision. Today, when there’s more than one faction claiming leadership, I will first have to see who is representing the political party and what they desire. Does the desire match the constitution of the political party? I will have to check that as well to decide on the matter,” he said.
The Speaker said anyone can go to the court later, as it’s their right, but assured that his decision will be based on laid down rules and regulation.
“There won’t be any unjustified delay, also I won’t hurry anything that would lead to miscarriage of justice,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Uddhav Thackeray camp of the Shiv Sena has also upped the ante against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in a similar case where Mr Narwekar is accused of dragging his feet.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) today moved the Supreme Court for expeditious decision on disqualification pleas against Mr Shinde and other Shiv Sena MLAs who joined the BJP-led government last year.
Disqualification pleas are pending adjudication before the Speaker for over a year.
The Supreme Court in May had directed Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar to decide on the disqualification pleas within a reasonable period.
“There has been no progress in the disqualification proceedings even after the Supreme Court order,” Thackeray camp MLA Sunil Prabhu said today.
