NCP submits letter officially nominating Jayant Patil as its Legislature Party leader, ball now in Assembly Speakers court

Mumbai:

A fresh twist has emerged over who is the Legislature Party leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. The NCP on November 25 (Monday) submitted a letter to the office of Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade intimating to him about the appointment of Jayant Patil as its legislature party, replacing Ajit Pawar. The letter is now awaiting the decision of the Speaker.

Speaking to News 21.com here, Maharashtra Legislature secretary Rajendra Bhagwat disclosed that the legislature secretariat has received the letter claiming that Jayant Patil is the Legislative Party leader for NCP. He added that the decision has to be taken by the Speaker. “As of today, it has not been decided”, he added further. When asked as to what is the time frame set for deciding on the matter, he further added that there is no such time frame set in the rules for the Speaker to take a decision.

Speaking to newspersons here at state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office yesterday, Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Raosaheb Danve insisted that Ajit Pawar was the NCP Legislature Party leader. In the letter submitted to the Speaker, the NCP besides informing the presiding officer that Patil has been appointed in place of Pawar, the former will now have the authority to issue Party Whip in legislative matters.

He added that after the appointment of the legislature party leader, the party has to communicate to the Assembly Speaker or the Legislature Secretariat in writing. Bhagwat however, pointed out that the legislature rules do not specify any time limit within which the Speaker has to take a decision.

It may be recalled that the NCP had appointed Ajit Pawar as its Legislature Party (NCPLP) leader on October 30. In a day of dramatic turn of events on November 23, Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Minister along with BJPs Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis kicking off a new political controversy. NCP accused Pawar of stealing two letters signed by party legislators who had come to attend the party meeting and presenting the same as letters of support before Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan.

The letter of support presented by Pawar is now subject matter of the case before the Supreme Court. The Shiv Sena along with Congress and NCP filed a writ petition before the apex court challenging the swearing-in of Fadnavis and Pawar on November 23. As per the Anti-Defection law and legislature rules of business, party legislators have to abide by the whip issued by the legislature party leader. If they choose to ignore the directive then the stand to be disqualified as members of the house.