In a dramatic shift in political equations in Maharashtra, the Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and ruling BJP joined hands together to oust Shivajirao Deshmukh of the Congress from his position as the Chairman of the Maharashtra legislative Council, even as the Shiv Sena vehemently opposed the move but chose not to take part in vote of confidence moved by the NCP against Deshmukh.
Political opportunism ruled the roost in the State legislative Council, as the ruling BJP — in what called a decision taken as part of its ultimate objective of realising its “Congress Mukt Bharat” (India free of Congress – threw its weight behind the NCP, single largest in the Upper House, Congress’ Deshmukh from chairman’s post. Owing to the whole-hearted support it received from the BJP, the NCP scored tactical victory over its erstwhile ruling alliance partner in the vote of no-confidence against veteran Congressman Deshmukh who braved the floor test despite knowing that he would be defeated.
While the NCP and BJP, which have a strength of 28 and nine members respectively, and smaller parties like the PWP and some independents, voted in favour of the no-confidence motion, 22 Congress members against it. The Sena, which opposed motion saying that the NCP had no valid ground to unseat Deshmukh from his position as the chairman of the Council, chose to remain neutral and staged a walkout from the House before the no-confidence motion was put to vote.
The growing proximity, witnessed between the ruling BJP and Opposition NCP prior to the formation of a new Government in Maharashtra in November last year, became a reality as the Sharad Pawar-headed party, being the single largest entity in the 78-member House, managed to have the Amit Shah-led party on its side in the run-up to the no-confidence motion against Deshmukh.
After Deshmukh’s defeat in the vote of no confidence, senior BJP Minister Eknath Khadse justified his party’s decision to support the NCP in its confidence motion against the chairman of House, by saying that the move was in sync with Narendra Modi’s announcement of making the country “Congress Mukt Bharat”. “Our decision to help the NCP in the no-confidence motion was in consonance with Modiji’s “Congress Mukt Bharat” announcement. In our effort to keep the Congress away from power, we would have supported any other party in a situation like the one witnessed today,” Khadse said.
However, senior Shiv Sena legislator Neelam Gorhe made no bones about her party’s displeasure over the NCP’s decision to table a no-trust motion against Deshmukh. “We expressed our stand in most an unambiguous manner on floor of the Upper House. However, if we chose to remain neutral in the vote of no-confidence against the chairman, it was because we did not want to send wrong message of aligning with the Congress solely on the ground that the BJP teamed with the NCP. Ours was a tactical decision. We expressed our stand but did not participate in the voting,” Gorhe said.
Gorhe also poked fun at the BJP for its decision to ally with the NCP. “The BJP is saying that it supported the Pawar party’s move to make the country Congress mukt bharat, we would like to know if our ally would force the NCP to drop the word Congress from its name…. But, whatever happened today does not augur well for a democratic set up like ours.. Some parties have chosen to enter temporary deals to remove Deshmukh from the august for rhyme or reason,” Gorhe said.
On his part, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar denied that his party had struck any secret deal with the BJP. “Given the strength we had, we are the natural claimants for House chairman’s post. But, Deshmukh was ready to resign from his post. That’s why we moved a no-confidence motion against him,” he said. Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said that the NCP’s decision to team up with the BJP had not come as a surprise to him.