Thackeray-Shinde feud set to find echo in Budget session of Maha legislature; Oppn likely to corner govt over public interest issues

The ongoing high decibel political and legal battle between rival Shiv Sena groups is set to resonate in the Maharashtra legislature as its Budget session begins on MondayThe Opposition Nationalist Congress Party NCP the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Congress boycotted the tea party hosted by the government on the eve of the Budget session on SundayChief Minister Eknath Shinde took a dig at the Opposition for boycotting the customary tea party and said it was good those having ties with terrorist Dawood Ibrahim did not turn up for itHe was apparently referring to former state minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik who is currently in jail following his arrest last year in a moneylaundering case linked to the activities of Dawood Ibrahim and his aidesAlso read Can Congress be lsquoone among equalsrsquo for Opposition unityThe budget session will commence with newlyappointed Governor Ramesh Bais making his first address to the joint sitting of the state legislatureDeputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who also holds the finance and planning portfolio will present the first Budget of the Shindeled government in the Assembly on March 9The session will end on March 25The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA comprising the NCP Congress and Shiv Sena UBT will seek to corner the ShindeBJP government over issues of public interest during the nearly onemonth long session which is set to be stormyThe Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde buoyed by an Election Commission EC ruling in its favour and the Uddhav Thackeray faction are locked in a bitter feud to lay claim over the 56yearold party and legacy of its founder Bal ThackerayGoing by the legislative majority the EC recently allotted the Shiv Sena name and the bow and arrow poll symbol to the Shinde group while recognising the split in the party which was rocked by a rebellion in June last yearMoving swiftly after the EC ruling the Shinde camp petitioned Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar and took control of the Shiv Sena legislature party office in the Vidhan Bhavan complex in south Mumbai Similarly the Shinde camp feels the whip it issues will be binding on legislators still loyal to ThackerayAmid the Shiv Sena row Narvekar on Thursday said he has not got representation from any group claiming to be a separate party in the Lower HouseThe Speaker told PTI that there is only one Shiv Sena with 55 MLAs which is led by Shinde and legislator Bharat Gogawale has been recognised as its chief whipNarvekar has approved the appointment of Shinde as the legislature party leaderHowever senior advocate and former Maharashtra Advocate General Shrihari Aney feels since the EC has recognised the split in the Shiv Sena the Shinde camps whip will not be applicable to proThackeray MLAsThe Thackeray faction will have to seek recognition as a separate group in the legislature he saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever