Mumbai: Boycott of the Maharashtra
Legislative Assembly proceedings by the opposition continued on Monday, with the government and opposition leaders meeting in
Speaker's chamber this morning to resolve the deadlock arisen
due to suspension of nine Shiv Sena-BJP MLAs.
Nine MLAs of the saffron parties were suspended last week
for disrupting the presentation of budget by Deputy Chief
Minister Ajit Pawar (NCP). Opposition wants it revoked.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Ajit Pawar, leaders of
opposition in the Legislative assembly and Council Eknath
Khadse and Pandurang Phundkar respectively, and group leaders
of other parties met in Speaker Dilip Walse- Patil's chamber
today.
Question Hour in the Lower House began without the
opposition members, at noon.
Shiv Sena, BJP and MNS legislators squatted on the stairs
of Vidhan Bhavan entrance, wearing black badges.
The nine suspended legislators too were present, despite
the order last week which bars their entry into the premises
till December 31, 2011.
Opposition members in the Legislative Council are also
not attending the proceedings since Friday.
Meanwhile, a majority of Congress-NCP members are against
revocation of suspension, sources said. The ruling coalition
members feel that if revoked, the suspension will lose its
value as a deterrent against unruly behaviour.
However, a revocation could be considered if opposition
apologises for its actions on the budget day, sources said.
PTI
First Published: Monday, March 28, 2011, 14:37